Coronavirus: Three deaths, 2,866 new cases (Updated)

The health ministry announced three Covid-19 deaths on Wednesday night along with 2,866 fresh infections, while there are 124 Covid-19 patients in hospital.

The deaths were of three men, two aged 71 and one aged 77 raising the total number of deaths attributed to Covid-19 to 886.

Of those in hospital, 25 are in serious condition while the overall figure of those being treated for Covid-19 who are unvaccinated is at 56.46 per cent.

Wednesday’s reported infections were identified following 78,337 tests, yielding a positivity rate of 3.66 per cent, and raises the total number of identified infections to 341,383.

The 3,807 PCR tests picked up 329 positives – a rate of 8.64 per cent while the 74,530 rapid tests identified 2,537 positives – a rate of 3.4 per cent.

Contact tracing carried out 358 PCR tests with 53 returning positive at a rate of 14.8 per cent, while the unit’s 778 rapid tests picked up 75 positives.

The 1,533 PCR tests taken privately identified 221 positives, while the 34,713 rapid tests taken privately uncovered 1,482 positives.

The health ministry’s 39,817 tests identified 1,055 positives. Its free test sites carried out 21,014 tests and uncovered 855 positives.

At secondary schools the ministry carried out 11,283 tests with 82 returning positive. Its test-to-stay programme led to 3,071 tests with 35 returning positive.

The 1,307 tests at care homes picked up seven infections.

Meanwhile, the north reported 410 new infections – raising the total reported there to 71,788 along with 201 deaths attributed to Covid-19.