The Department of Health has been notified of one additional death relating to Covid-19 in Ireland.
It have also confirmed 549 new cases of the virus.
Over 70 percent of today's cases were identified in people under the age of 45 years old.
The median age is 32 years old.
Of the cases notified today:
• 288 are men / 249 are women
• 73% are under 45 years of age
• The median age is 32 years old
• 262 in Dublin, 32 in Kildare, 30 in Westmeath, 26 in Galway, 21 in Meath, 21 in Offaly and the remaining 147 cases are spread across 20 other counties— Department of Health (@roinnslainte) March 29, 2021
Most of today's cases were identified in Dublin, where there are 262 new cases.
Elsewhere, there are 32 new cases in Kildare, 30 in Westmeath, 26 in Galway, 21 in Meath and 21 in Offaly.
The remaining 147 cases are spread across all other counties.
Meanwhile, there have been 19 additional hospitalisations in the past twenty-four hours.
498 positive swabs, 3.69% positivity on 13,507 tests.
7 day test positivity is 3.4%.- Monday, March 29th 2021#COVID19Ireland pic.twitter.com/V0MQRMgty5
— COVID-19 Data Ireland (@COVID19DataIE) March 29, 2021
In total, there are 331 Covid-19 patients in hospitals - 70 of whom are in intensive care.
As of March 26th, 218,546 people have received both doses of a Covid-19 vaccine.
NPHET Hold Marathon Meeting To Discuss Easing Restrictions
NPHET met this morning to consider the situation in the face of increasing numbers of new cases over the last week.
The cabinet sub-committee on COVID will meet later this evening to be briefed and make decisions on what to do next.
The focus will be on allowing outdoor activities.
They'll be looking at replacing the 5km travel rule, allowing meet-ups with one other household, a return to sport for children and bringing back activities like golf and tennis.
But that will all be heavily caveated depending on what the advice from NPHET is and how hard they push back.
The latest suggestion in government circles is the easing may be phased through April - allowing one measure a week to be eased and giving time to assess the impact of those measures.
A roadmap for what will happen in May is also expected to be agreed.
NPHET meeting this morning.
Cabinet sub-committee to follow this evening.
Full cabinet tomorrow morning.
Announcement tomorrow, likely around 6pm but still tbc
— Seán Defoe (@SeanDefoe) March 29, 2021
One of the biggest decisions facing the cabinet is whether or not to allow construction to return.
While Ministers want to allow it, there is concern about what it would mean for the number of people moving around the country to work on various sites.
The cabinet sub-committee starts in about an hour, ahead of a full cabinet meeting tomorrow.
