The health ministry announced two Covid-19 deaths and 1,692 infections on Tuesday evening, adding that 31 patients with the virus are in serious condition.

The deaths are of two women, aged 81 and 88, raising the total number of fatalities attributed to the virus to 982.

There are 188 patients with Covid-19 in hospital overall, of whom 31 are in serious condition and five are intubated – as the ministry emphasised that 53.73 per cent have no history of vaccination.

Tuesday’s infections were reported following 66,930 tests having been carried out of which rapid tests accounted for 63,874, with a positivity rate of 2.53 per cent.

Nursing homes saw 25 positives as 1,367 rapid tests were carried out, while primary schools reported 63 infections from 18,860 such checks. Secondary schools accounted for 27 positives from the 9,584 checks carried out and the test-to-stay programme picked up 18 positives from 2,134 tests.