COVID-19 UPDATE: A further 18 die as number of people in ICU declines

A further 18 people lost their lives from Covid-19 in the Republic of Ireland in the last 24 hours, the HSE said this evening.

The total death toll here is now 1,446 while the number of confirmed cases has now reached 22,760 after another 219 were diagnosed.

Minister for Health Simon Harris has said the number of people in intensive care in Irish hospitals with confirmed cases of Covid-19 has fallen further.

There are now 72 patients with confirmed cases of the virus in ICU, compared with 76 yesterday and 99 last Saturday.