Three new deaths confirmed as number in hospital hits 344

THERE have been a further three deaths as a result of Covid-19 as well as 939 new cases nationwide, figures from the Department of Health confirmed yesterday. The number of people in hospital with Covid is 344 – the highest level since May 20. Some 38 are in ICU. At the time of reporting, an additional 16 hospitalisations had taken place in the previous 24 hours. The total number of deaths related to the disease now stands at 1,885, while the total number of confirmed cases is 58,067. Of the 939 cases notified yesterday, 66% were under 45 years of age, with a median age of 32. The new cases included 444 men and 483 women. It was also confirmed that there were 262 new cases in Dublin, 96 in Cork, 61 in Meath, 53 in Galway and 51 in Donegal.

HSE chief executive Paul Reid tweeted yesterday that ‘the positivity rate in testing has now come down over the past eight days’.

Meanwhile, in the North, there were a further five Covid-19-related deaths recorded yesterday, and 727 new cases. There were also 342 patients with Covid-19 in the North’s hospitals, 39 of whom were in intensive care. The death toll from the virus recorded in the North now stands at 658.

There have been 34,832 confirmed cases in total, including 6,828 in the last seven days.

Meanwhile, two patients and seven members of staff on a ward at the Ulster Hospital have tested positive for Covid-19. Ward 16 at the hospital on the outskirts of Belfast has closed to new admissions and visitors. Nine other patients are self isolating.