Coronavirus: Two deaths, 189 new cases

The health ministry announced two deaths from Covid-19, men aged 49 and 82, along with 189 new positives on Monday.

There are 59 Covid-19 patients in hospital, 20 of whom are in serious condition. Of those receiving treatment 55.94 per cent are unvaccinated, the ministry said.

The two deaths raised the Republic’s total fatalities attributed to Covid-19 to 570 (the median age of those who died is 76.1) and the 189 new positives increased the total to 123,546.

Monday’s 60,998 checks included 55,461 rapid tests and 5,537 PCR tests.

The PCR tests picked up the following positives: 26 from 413 contact tracing tests, six from 3,116 airport tests, 26 from 1,603 tests taken privately and eight from 246 hospital tests.

Rapid tests taken privately – primarily amongst the unvaccinated to obtain a SafePass and are ineligible for free testing – totalled 35,440 and identified 93 positives.

The government’s screening programme – for select groups – carried out 22,021 rapid tests and uncovered 30 positives.

No one in care homes tested positive from the government’s checks and neither did any primary school children. Just one person at secondary school tested positive.