There have been two further deaths related to COVID-19 and 303 new cases confirmed this afternoon by the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET).

One of these deaths occurred in March, and one took place in April.

The number of coronavirus-related deaths has now risen to 4,785, while the latest figures bring the total amount of cases here to 240,945.

Of the latest cases, 75% are under 45 years of age, while the median age is 32 years old.

As of 8am today, 213 people are now receiving treatment in hospital for the virus after seven new admissions in the past 24 hours.

Of those patients, 53 are in ICU, up from 52 yesterday.

The five-day moving average is now 410.

The Department of Health did not provide a county-by-county breakdown of today's new cases.

As of April 8th, 1,045,919 doses of the coronavirus vaccine have been administered in Ireland.

735,997 people have received their first dose, while a second dose has been administered to 309,922 people.

Dr Ronan Glynn. Photograph: Leah Farrell / RollingNews.ie

Dr Ronan Glynn, Acting Chief Medical Officer at the Department of Health, said "there are many reasons for hope as we head into a new week".

Listing the positive indicators, he said: "This is the lowest number of daily cases reported since mid-December. People’s efforts continue to make a real difference; by keeping our social contacts low we are making it much harder for COVID-19 to spread.

"This morning we had the lowest number of people newly hospitalised with COVID-19 since the end of November.

"Last week the millionth vaccine was given and this week should see a step-change in the number of doses administered.

"All of our children are going back to school tomorrow. From tomorrow we can travel within our county."

'Maintain this progress'

Dr Glynn added that "if we can maintain this progress, vaccines and the basic public health measures with which we are all so familiar are our way out of this pandemic".

He is urging people to continue to work from home where possible.

"Please do not take our children returning to school tomorrow as a signal to return to the workplace," he said.

He also asked the public to avoid mixing indoors with people from other households and to watch their distance when gathering outside and only meet up with people from one other household at a time.

Dr Glynn advised anyone with symptoms of COVID-19 to contact their GP and to "remember you are not properly protected until 2 weeks after your second vaccination.”

Main image: Dr Ronan Glynn, Acting Chief Medical Officer at the Department of Health. Photo: Leah Farrell/Rollingnews.ie