THERE HAS been major progress in Ireland's fight against Covid-19 as it was revealed that the number of people receiving treatment in hospitals is at its lowest in months.
Minister for Health, Simon Harris, announced this morning that the number of coronavirus patients in hospitals across Ireland has dropped significantly to just 75 people across 29 acute sites.
Calling it a "very significant decrease", Minister Harris urged Irish citizens to "keep the number reducing by minimising close contacts, keeping social distance and following advice".
It is the lowest the numbers have been since 15 March-- before the lockdown came into place.
It is also a stark contrast with the numbers Ireland saw at the peak of the pandemic between 5 - 13 April, where almost 900 people were being treated in hospitals across the country.
Our progress continues! Today for the 1st time in such a very long time we see fewer than 100 patients with #Covid19 in hospitals. The figure is now 75. A very significant decrease. Keep the number reducing by minimising close contacts, keeping social distance & following advice pic.twitter.com/k1dUJYbm0A
— Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) June 11, 2020
In announcing the news, Minister Harris shared a graph from the National Public Health Emergency Team which showed the numbers of hospitalised patients dropping continuously, stating "Our progress continues!".
"Today for the 1st time in such a very long time we see fewer than 100 patients with [Covid-19] in hospitals," he wrote.
"The figure is now 75. A very significant decrease."
The consistent drop in hospitalisation figures, as well as the rise in recovery rate-- which now stands at 92%-- means the the Republic is inching ever closer to eradicating the disease.
However, as Dr Tony Holohan said earlier this week, "mission has not yet been accomplished", and yesterday there were a further 19 new cases and five deaths.
There have now been a total of 1,695 coronavirus-related deaths in Ireland, and a total of 25,231 confirmed cases.
