Six Covid-19 deaths and 1,281 infections were recorded in the last week, the health ministry said on Friday.

At the same time, 41 Covid-19 patients remain hospitalised.

Ten of these are in a serious condition, two of whom are intubated in ICU.

A further six patients continue to be treated in hospital although they are off the respirators.

The six deaths – two men, aged 97 and 60, and four women, aged 94, 85, 82 and 62 raise the total number attributed to Covid to 1,341.

The deaths reported this week occurred between March 11 and 15.

As for the 1,281 infections, the ministry stated that these were uncovered via 61,062 tests – giving a positivity rate of 2.09 per cent.