Total of 22,974 Covid cases reported over past three days

As of 8am this morning, there are 665 Covid patients in hospitals around the country. Picture: iStock

A total of 22,974 Covid cases have been confirmed through PCR and antigen tests since Friday.

On Saturday, the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) was notified of 4,940 PCR-confirmed cases while 3,650 people registered positive antigen tests the previous day.

Yesterday, there were 4,331 positive PCR tests and 2,950 people had registered a positive antigen test result through the HSE portal the previous day.

Today, the Department of Health reported 3,494 PCR-confirmed cases of Covid-19. There were 3,609 positive antigen test results reported yesterday.

As of 8am this morning, there are 665 Covid patients in hospitals around the country. Of these, 67 are in intensive care.

Meanwhile, officials from the Department of Education are meeting with public health advisors today, to decide what Covid measures should stay in place after the mid-term break.

The group will review the current situation in schools and decide whether or not masks should still be worn in the classroom next month.

CEO of the National Parent's Council, Aine Lynch, says many parents think it is time to relax the rules in schools.

Ms Lynch said that many parents feel a sense of reassurance that their children are wearing masks at school but a growing number are wondering when the rule will be removed.

"Generally, they are concerned about their children's emotional development and the children don't want to wear them every day.

"Sometimes it can be a struggle getting them to put them on. Then, on the other side of it they are saying that children aren't wearing them properly. They often pull them down to talk to each other."