LAST UPDATE | 5 Mar 2021

THE NUMBER OF people in hospital with Covid-19 has fallen to the lowest level since late December. 

As of 8am this morning, there are currently 426 patients in hospital with Covid-19, the lowest level since 30 December, when there were 454 hospitalisations.

34 new Covid-19 patients were admitted to hospital in the past 24 hours and 43 have been discharged. 

The number of Covid-19 patients in hospital has been continuously falling since a peak of 2,020 cases in mid-January.

The number of people receiving care in an ICU has also steadily fallen in recent weeks, with 102 patients with Covid-19 in intensive care as of 11am. 

Five people were admitted to ICU in the past 24 hours and six have been discharged. 

Commenting on hospital figures on social media this morning, HSE chief executive Paul Reid said: “Good news for so many families. I know it is relentless for everyone, but we should all be assured our actions & sacrifices will get us there. 

“Take care this weekend.” 

Thankfully our numbers in hospital with #COVID19 has reduced again to 427 and 103 in ICU. Good news for so many families. I know it's is relentless for everyone but we should all be assured our actions & sacrifices will get us there. Take care the weekend. @HSELive

— Paul Reid (@paulreiddublin) March 5, 2021

Health officials yesterday confirmed that a further 39 people with Covid-19 died in Ireland. 

The number of people with the virus who have died in Ireland now stands at 4,396. 

The National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) also said that 462 new cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed, bringing the total number of cases since the beginning of the pandemic in Ireland to 221,649. 

Stillbirths

During last night’s NPHET briefing, health officials confirmed that they have been made aware of four preliminary reports of stillbirths that are potentially associated with a complication of Covid-19 called Covid Placentitis.

The condition is an infection of the placenta which leads to stillbirth. Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr Ronan Glynn, said the reports should be interpreted with caution as the coroners have not yet concluded their findings.

“The HSEs National Women and Infants Programme is aware of and is monitoring the situation and has issued a related notice to obstetric departments,” Dr Glynn said.

The four cases involved pregnant women who tested positive for the coronavirus disease. 

Dr Glynn said there has not been a high incidence of the condition internationally and he does not expect to see a high incidence of it in Ireland.

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“It’s important again to reiterate that these findings are preliminary, but we felt that there was a duty on us nonetheless to report those findings. And as soon as we have further information we will report it,” Dr Glynn said.

Dr Glynn said the advice for pregnant women regarding the virus remains the same. He added that Ireland has had a “very, very positive experience” regarding maternity and Covid-19 compared with any country internationally.

Rent supplements 

Elsewhere, Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys today announced the extension of the Rent Supplement flexibilities that were introduced in response to Covid-19. 

The flexibilities were due to expire on 31 March 2021. However, in line with the extension of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment and Enhanced Illness Benefit, the measures are now being extended until 30 June. 

Rent Supplement is a means assessed, short-term income support. 

It’s aimed at people living in private rented accommodation who can’t meet their accommodation costs and who don’t have accommodation available to them from any other source. 

Over 12,500 people have availed of Rent Supplement since the pandemic began last March. Of these, some 8,316 remain in payment.

With reporting by Ceimin Burke