Covid-19 patient numbers remain high as hospitals continue to operate under pressure

The number of Covid-19 patients in hospital remain high as hospitals struggle to deal with the pressure on services. 

There were 1,075 patients with Covid-19 in hospital today (Friday). 

That number marks a slight drop on the previous day's total of 1,031. A yearly high for Covid-19 patients was recorded on March 16 when Covid-19 patients in the hospital reached 1,081. 

Despite the relatively high numbers of Covid-19 patients in hospital, figures for those requiring intensive care treatment have remained low. 

At the end of the week, there were 48 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in ICU. 

That figure represents a slight increase on the total for St Patrick's Day, when there were 46 patients with Covid-19 in intensive care. 

The HSE issued a warning about the pressure hospitals were experiencing, earlier in the week. 

Chief operations officer Anne O’Connor said: “Anyone who suspects they may be facing an emergency situation should of course come to the emergency department and they will be seen and treated.

“However, we would ask those who may be in a non-urgent situation to help our staff through a challenging time by looking at other healthcare options where possible.”