ICU numbers drop to yearly low as Covid-19 numbers in hospital fall

The number of Covid-19 patients requiring ICU treatment has fallen to its lowest this year, latest figures show. 

There were just 63 patients in ICU across the country earlier today. 

That number is the joint lowest so far this year, matching the same figure recorded on February 3 last. 

The number of patients in hospital has also dropped, dipping below 600 for the first time since February 5. 

Hospital and ICU numbers had risen at the weekend and earlier this week, but have been declining since. 

Most recent figures show that the Department of Health had been notified of a further 5,649 PCR-confirmed cases of Covid-19, as well as 5,387 positive antigen tests logged through the HSE portal.