Tomas Doherty
A further five deaths and 461 new cases of Covid-19 were recorded in the Republic on Saturday.
The latest figures show 162 Covid-19 patients are in hospital, 46 of whom are in intensive care.
In Northern Ireland there has been one further death of a patient who previously tested positive for Covid-19.
Another 88 people have tested positive for the disease in the North during the last 24-hour reporting period.
On Friday morning, there were 64 confirmed Covid-19 inpatients in hospital, seven of whom were in intensive care.
Vaccine rollout
Meanwhile, Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said Friday was the biggest day yet in the Covid vaccine rollout – with over 41,000 doses given out.
A quarter of adults have now had their first dose, and one in ten have received both jabs.
Micheál Martin wrote: “Biggest day yet in the #CovidVaccine rollout yesterday with 41,500 doses given out. 25% of eligible adults now have their first dose — 948,000. And 10% are now fully vaccinated with two doses — 381,000.
“The vaccines, vaccinators, and volunteers are making a real difference.”
It comes as 165,000 AstraZeneca doses are due to arrive in the State next week, in a delivery that had been postponed until later in May.
AstraZeneca now expects to hit its European delivery target of 20 million doses this month, followed by 70 million in the second quarter.
Ireland will receive a pro rata share of about one per cent.
The Health Service Executive said it was “more hopeful than we were” of supplies arriving next week.
The National Immunisation Advisory Committee (Niac) is currently considering whether to broaden the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine in the population.
Officials will also decide in the coming days how the Johnson & Johnson vaccine should be used after concerns about very rare blood clots.
