By Aoife Kearns and Sarah Mooney
There have been a further 14 Covid-19 deaths and 368 new cases - the third-lowest number of daily case numbers recorded by the Department of Health this year.
For the third consecutive day, there are fewer than five cases in Waterford.
The national 14-day incidence rate is now 164 cases per 100,000 people - a slight increase from yesterday.
In Waterford, the incidence rate is 116 cases, and the 5-day moving average number of cases in the county is seven.
As of 8am today, there were 310 Covid-19 patients hospitalised, including 67 in ICU. 29 additional hospitalisations were seen over the past 24 hours.
As of March 27th 2021, 802,502 doses of Covid-19 vaccines have been administered in Ireland:
- 577,641 people have received their first dose
- 224,861 people have received their second dose
Leaving lockdown
The figures come as the Cabinet has agreed to ease lockdown restrictions in Ireland from April 12th.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin is expected to make an address to the nation on Tuesday night, telling the public what freedoms they can expect to return from next month.
The meeting saw the approval of plans to allow people to travel within their country or within a 20km radius of their home even if that crosses a county boundary from April 12th.
From this date, two households will also be permitted to meet outdoors and two fully vaccinated people to meet indoors, while a staggered resumption of construction will begin with the return of 5,000 home building workers.
Later in the month, GAA senior county training will be allowed from April 19th. Golf, tennis and outdoor non-contact training for under 18s will resume and zoos and places of heritage will open from April 26th. There will be an increase in attendance at funerals from 10 to 25.
In May, longer-term plans will see the potential return of personal services such as hairdressers and the phased reopening of retail.
