The Republic of Ireland has the seventh lowest incidence rate in the EU of Covid-19 per 100,000 people according to the latest figures from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).
The data shows the State now has an incidence rate of 103.6 cases per 100,000 people. The collection of this data had been impacted over the last two weeks due to disruptions caused by the recent cyberattack on the HSE.
Malta has the lowest rate, recording just 9.3 cases per 100,000, while Romania, Finland, Portugal, Poland and Bulgaria also have rates under 100.
The stable rate in Ireland will encourage health officials ahead of the further easing of restrictions, the next part of which will take place on June 2nd when accommodation services are permitted to reopen.
Vaccines
In Friday's announcement regarding the easing of restrictions for June and July, Taoiseach Micheál Martin praised the rollout of the Covid-19 vaccine here, saying: "By every measure, the Irish people trust the vaccines."
He added the State "enjoys one of the highest levels of trust in the vaccine in the world", and "2.6 million vaccines have now been administered and half the eligible population of the country will have received at least one vaccine by Monday".
This comes as the number of people in hospital with the virus dropped to the lowest level recorded in eight months.
According to Friday evening's update from the Department of Health, there were 99 people with Covid-19 in hospitals around the county, 38 of whom were being treated in intensive care.
