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The number of people in hospital with Covid-19 increased by 48 on Sunday, bringing the total number of patients being treated for the virus to 1,175.
This is highest number of hospitalisations due to Covid-19 since February 2021.
There were 1,175 patients with the virus in hospital on Sunday morning, up from 1,127 the previous day. There were 49 patients in ICU.
Hospital Report
There were 153 new admissions of people who tested positive for Covid-19 in the last 24 hours with 45 discharges.
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The number of hospital admissions has risen sharply over a two-week period from 808 admissions on March 7th.
There has been no reporting of new Covid-19 figures since March 16th because of the extended St Patrick’s weekend bank holiday.
On the 16th there were 14,096 cases reported of whom 5,452 were confirmed by PCR test and the remaining 8,644 by antigen test.
The department was notified of two Covid-related deaths on this date, bringing the total number of deaths due to Covid-19 in the State to 6,638.
Meanwhile, the HSE has appealed to the public to help protect hospitals and emergency departments over the bank holiday weekend.
University Hospital Limerick has closed to visitors from Sunday due to high numbers of Covid-19 patients.
The hospital’s only exceptions are parents visiting children, people assisting confused patients and for end of life patients. One person will be allowed per patient.
On Wednesday the HSE said more than 4,000 healthcare workers were off work due to Covid as hospitals experience unprecedented demand from emergency patients.
The numbers attending hospital emergency departments have been at near-record levels for the past three weeks, the HSE said .
While earlier in the week Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the Government is “concerned” about the increase in cases of Covid-19, but said there were no new measures currently being considered by the Government.
Mr Martin said about 50 per cent of cases were being admitted to hospital for other reasons, but were subsequently testing positive for Covid.