LATEST: Cheers! Taoiseach hints drink curfew may be lifted next week as Omicron wave recedes
A further 10,571 people have contracted Covid-19, a significant drop on the level of infections last week amid strong indications hospitality restrictions will be lifted as soon as next week.
The Department of Health this evening confirmed it has been notified of 5,523 additional PCR-confirmed cases of Covid-19, as well as 5,048 positive antigen tests registered through the HSE portal.
The latest figures show the number of patients with Covid-19 in hospitals has stayed the same at 896. Of these, 90 patients are being treated in ICUs – also unchanged from yesterday.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin earlier said he thinks people can look forward to an earlier lifting of restrictions – and this will possibly happen next week.
The National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) amid expectations it will recommend the lifting of restrictions.
Mr Martin told RTÉ he hopes to be in a position to give an update on the lifting of restrictions tomorrow evening after the Cabinet meets to discuss NPHET’s latest recommendations.
