CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER Dr Tony Holohan said that around half of people who have been confirmed to have Covid-19 have recovered in the community.

At a Department of Health briefing tonight, Holohan said that an analysis of 15,186 cases had revealed that 8,377 people had recovered in the community, representing 55% of those confirmed cases.

He said that a further 4,232, or 34%, are in the first fourteen days since diagnosis, where they may have no symptoms yet.

The total discharges from hospital, which includes discharges from ICU, is 856. This means that 9,233 people in total have recovered from Covid-19.

Holohan said that 816 people are currently in hospital, 856 have been discharged from hospital, and there have been 295 deaths in hospital (the deaths figure excludes intensive care units).

In intensive care units, there are 156 currently receiving treatment, 105 discharged from ICU, and 46 deaths (representing 15%).

Holohan said tonight: “We are now in our eight week since the first case of Covid-19 was reported in Ireland.

“In that space of time we, as a country, have managed to suppress the virus in our community. AS we move forward we must look to protect our vulnerable populations and maintain the progress we have made so far. There is no room for complacency.”