HEALTH OFFICIALS HAVE confirmed a further 10 deaths of patients with Covid-19 and 426 new cases of the disease in Ireland.

A significant number of these new reported cases – at least 200 of them – are as a result of late reporting by one hospital. This hospital accumulated cases from as far back as mid-March and reported them all on one day. 

The new figures bring the total number of confirmed deaths due to Covid-19 in Ireland to 1,506. The total number of confirmed cases in Ireland has now reached 23,827.  

Data from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) up to midnight on Tuesday show 57% of cases are female, while 42% are male. 

The median age of those cases is 48 years. 

Some 3,053 cases were hospitalised, and of those, some 387 were admitted to ICU. 

Some 7,123 cases are associated with healthcare workers. 

The National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) met today and has provided its advice to the Health Minister on easing restrictions from 18 May.

It is expected that there will be a slight relaxation of the Covid-19 restrictions currently in place, which will allow people to meet in a small group outdoors and which could see employees in construction and hardware or gardening retailers returning to work.

Cabinet will discuss the advice from NPHET tomorrow and the government will then announce how the country will move into Phase One of its roadmap.