Covid-19: four deaths, 1,497 positive cases

Four Covid deaths and 1,497 positives were recorded during the past week, as the health ministry announced that 65 covid patients are in hospital.

The deaths, as detailed by the ministry, are of two men – aged 78 and 84 – and two women, aged 69 and 86; all of whom died this week.

The 1,497 positives were identified following 64,166 tests having been carried out – a positivity rate of 2.33 per cent. Rapid tests accounted for most of the checks at 62,447.

Primary school students took 1,018 rapid tests with just one returning positive, at a rate of 0.1 per cent. Secondary schools conducted 206 and found no positives.

Care homes accounted for 5,134 rapid tests which yielded 58 positives at a rate of 1.13 per cent.