By Tomas Doherty
A further two deaths and 769 new cases of Covid-19 have been recorded in the Republic.
Both deaths occurred in March, a statement from the National Public Health Emergency Team said.
Of the new cases 32 were in Waterford, 284 were in Dublin, 67 in Donegal, 47 in Offaly, 45 in Meath, 44 in Kildare, and the remaining cases were spread across all other counties.
The incidence rate of the virus in Waterford 145.5 cases per 100,000 population - that is an increase of 46% in the space of a week.
Offaly has the highest incidence rate in the country at 411 cases per 100,000, followed by Longford at 296 and Kildare at 249.
The update comes amid growing concern about the number of Covid-19 cases in the community and rising hospital admissions.
Paul Reid, chief executive of the HSE, said there has been a slight increase in the number of people admitted to hospital with coronavirus this weekend.
There are currently 360 patients in hospitals on Sunday, a rise of 32 patients in 24 hours.
The 14-day incidence rate has been at 150 per 100,000 of the population for around a week.
Mr Reid told Newstalk's On The Record programme that hospital numbers have been “stuck” over recent weeks and the number of patients with Covid-19 is the same as the peak in the second wave.
“We’re at no way normal levels in our hospitals,” Mr Reid added.
“In the last week when we saw the numbers stuck for the past few weeks, they had come down for the past five or six weeks very well.
“A slight increase again this weekend would give us concern around trends, particularly in line with some of the cases we’re seeing come through this weekend, a slight rise in cases would give us concern.”
Vaccine rollout
Meanwhile, the HSE's chief clinical officer Colm Henry said he is confident the 30,000 people who missed the AstraZeneca vaccine last week will be covered over the next seven to ten days.
The use of AstraZeneca in Ireland was paused last Sunday following reports of unusual blood clots in Norway.
It resumed on Saturday following the green light from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and Ireland’s National Immunisation Advisory Committee (Niac).
Almost 480,000 people in the Republic have received at least one dose of a Covid jab, the latest figures show.
A total of 654,251 vaccines were administered up to March 18th – 478,725 first doses and 175,526 second doses.
