LAST UPDATE | 18 May 2021

HEALTH OFFICIALS HAVE confirmed that 358 more cases of Covid-19 have been recorded in Ireland.

In an update, it was confirmed that 102 people are in hospital with Covid-19, including 39 in intensive care.

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

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

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 is set to open for 45-49 year olds from tomorrow. The system will open first for 49-year-olds tomorrow and for subsequent age groups through to the weekend.

It comes after the National Immunisation Advisory Committee [NIAC] recommended the use of both the Johnson & Johnson one-shot vaccine and the AstraZeneca vaccine for people aged over 40.

In a separate update today, the Department of Social Protection said that 363,000 people wold receive the Pandemic Unemployment Payment this week – a drop of 13,500 on the previous week. 

As people return to work, the department said it is important that they close their claim for the PUP on the actual date that they start back at work.