Further hike in positive Covid cases at MUH

The number of positive Covid cases in care at Mayo University Hospital (MUH) has risen by five to 42 in the past 24 hours.

Three new confirmed cases were admitted to the Castlebar facility between 8 p.m. yesterday and 8 p.m. on February 26.

That's according to the latest HSE report from the facility compiled at 8 p.m. yesterday.

MUH's virus figures are the fourth highest in the country, the list headed by the St. James's Hospital, Dublin, with 70.

Galway University Hospital has 14 positive cases in care, up by one, while Sligo University Hospital has seven, a rise of one.

There are nine suspected cases at the Castlebar centre, no change, and three confirmed cases are in the facility's ICU, no change.

Nationally, the number of hospitalised confirmed cases now stands at 551, an increase of 23.

The number of patients in intensive care units nationally is 132, down by three.

There are four vacant general beds, down by two, and two vacant critical care beds at MUH, no change.

A total 19 new confirmed cases were identified in Mayo by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre yesterday evening, bringing the total to 305 for the past two weeks.

It leaves the county with a 14-day incidence rate of 233.7 - above the national average of 215.8.