The number of people catching Covid-19 in hospital has fallen by nearly two thirds since the peak of the third wave.
A further 52 people with the virus have died with 866 more people testing positive, 15 in Carlow and 5 in Kilkenny.
Hospitals
The number of people with Covid being treated in hospital is down again to 943 – with 167 in intensive care.
Of these four are in the ICU at St Luke’s General, among 11 patients with Coronavirus there while University Hospital Waterford has 48 after two new admissions, six of them in critical care while there are three other suspected cases.
Professor Phillip Nolan, chair of NPHET’s modelling group, says infection rates in hospital and care settings are down.
Local Electoral Areas
Six local electoral areas have recorded 14-day incidence rates of Covid-19 that are at least twice the national average.
The country’s highest is Blanchardstown-Mulhuddart in Dublin, which had a rate of 756 per 100,000 people, as of Monday.
Four other LEAs had rates of over 700 – Enniscorthy in Wexford, Monaghan, Ballymun-Finglas in Dublin and Castlebar in Mayo.
While of the seven LEA’s across our two counties Carlow Town has the highest at 543 followed by Tullow (423.5), Piltown (351.4), Bagenalstown (307.1), Castlecomer (156.9), Kilkenny City (141.6) leaving Callan Thomastown with the lowest at 138.
The national average on Monday was 319, and GP advisor to the HSE, Dr Ray Walley, says even the worst-hit areas are improving.
Vaccine
The National Immunisation Advisory Committee says its advice regarding the AstraZeneca vaccine has not changed despite the view of the WHO.
The World Health Organisation has recommended the AstraZeneca vaccine be given to all adults over 18 with no upper age limit.
Ireland has opted to prioritise giving the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine to people over the age of 70 rather than the one manufactured by AstraZeneca.
The vaccination of people in that age group is due to begin from Monday.
Chair of NIAC, Professor Karina Butler, says the WHO findings were similar to that of the European Medicines Agency.
