A record 101 Covid-related deaths have been announced today.
There has been a total of 3,418 deaths in Ireland so far.
The number of new coronavirus cases recorded is the lowest number of daily cases so far this year at 879, with 22 locally in Carlow and Kilkenny.
11 new cases in Carlow make the 14-day incidence rate 660 per 100,000 – down from 717 yesterday but still 3rd worst in the country.
Kilkeny’s 11 new cases mean the fortnightly infection rate is down slightly to 223 per 100,000 with the national average at 455.
1,388 Covid-19 patients are hospitalised, of which 207 are in ICU.
Dr. Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health said; “This is the highest number of deaths we have reported on any single day of the COVID-19 pandemic so far. The high mortality we are experiencing as a country at the moment is related to the surge of infection we saw several weeks ago, and the hospitalisations and admissions to ICU that followed as a direct result.
