Three further deaths and 474 cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed by the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet).
Of the cases notified on Thursday, 71 per cent are under 45 years of age and the median age is 32 years old.
There are 167 cases located in Dublin, 39 in Kildare, 37 in Cork, 36 in Donegal and 29 in Meath. The remaining 166 cases are spread across all other counties.
As of 8am this morning, there were 155 Covid-19 patients hospitalised, including 44 in intensive care, with 14 additional hospitalisations seen over the past 24 hours.
In Northern Ireland, there have been no further deaths of patients who had previously tested positive for Covid-19.
An additional 95 cases of the virus were confirmed in the region over the last 24-hour reporting period, while there were 61 Covid-19 inpatients in hospital, with eight classified as intensive care patients, as of Thursday morning.
Case projections
It comes as the Nphet has warned the Government that coronavirus infections could climb as high as 1,200 per day, with around 101,000 in total between now and the end of September, if a “step change” in close social contact takes place in May.
A range of scenarios were presented to the Government in a letter from the Nphet, with one showing that daily case counts would peak at 1,100 to 1,200 per day in July if the R number, which tracks how quickly the pandemic is spreading, increases to 1.5 in the period following May 10th.
Ministers were told that if a phased approach was adopted in the weeks ahead, such a scenario was the upper limit of what was likely.
Reopening plans
The Cabinet has signed off on a plan to significantly ease Covid-19 restrictions over the coming weeks, after a meeting this afternoon.
It is understood that the new reopening plan involves the four key dates of May 10th, May 17th, June 2nd, and June 7th.
It includes the lifting of the ban on intercounty travel, greater freedoms for vaccinated people, a relaxation of restrictions on outdoor gatherings, and the reopening of personal services and outdoor hospitality.
The plan is based on the acceleration of the vaccination programme and Covid-19 cases remaining low, with a senior Minister warning it will be revised if there is a spike in infections.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin is set to confirm the dates and details this evening.
