HEALTH OFFICIALS HAVE confirmed that 503 more cases of Covid-19 have been recorded in Ireland.

The latest figures were shared by the Department of Health on Twitter this evening.

The Department of Health also reported that there are currently 101 patients being treated for Covid-19 in hospital, 38 of whom are in ICU. 

The figures did not contain any information about whether there were any other deaths due to the virus.

Data relating to the number of deaths due to Covid-19, as well as case numbers by county, have been affected by last week’s cyber attack on Ireland’s health service.

Daily positive swab results are reported from laboratories to the HSE’s contact management programme.

With systems down due to the recent ransomware attack, the HPSC are reporting daily cases to the Department based on those daily positive lab results. Validation of these results will re-commence once systems are back up and running.

The cyber attack is not affecting the vaccination portal, which opened for the 45-49 age group today.

Speaking this evening, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said Ireland has hit around 280,000 vaccines over the past week and should administer a million vaccines in the month of May.