By Joleen Murphy
The number of people in public hospitals with Covid-19 has fallen to its lowest point since the beginning of January.
Last night 849 patients with the disease were receiving treatment - the first time the figure has fallen below the peak of the first wave in six weeks, while 158 are in ICUs.
As of 8pm last night, there were 3 patients being treated with Covid-19 in ICU in St. Luke's in Kilkenny.
There were 3 patients in Wexford General Hospital, 5 patients in ICU in South Tipperary General Hospitals and 5 patients in University Hospital Waterford.
No new deaths were reported last night, which hasn't happened since December 21st, and 821 new cases were detected.
In the South East, Wexford confirmed the highest case figure in the region with 23 new cases of the virus.
There are 11 new infections in Waterford - while Tipperary, Carlow and Kilkenny all recorded less than 5 new cases.
Dr Lorraine Doherty, the HSE national clinical director of Health Protection, says the aim for vaccinations is to get 70 percent of the population to take an injection.
"We spoke at another briefing about achieving a coverage for the population in terms of two doses of vaccines of at least 70 percent and preferably higher than that.
"When you have that level of coverage of vaccination within the population, you reduce the risk of people becoming seriously ill and being hospitalised."
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