Mayo University Hospital is without a positive Covid case for first time this year

Mayo University Hospital is without a confirmed Covid patient today for the first time this year.

The landmark was reached yesterday when the number of positive cases at the facility dropped from one to zero.

According to the figures released by the HSE this morning, which relate to the period between 8 p.m. yesterday and 8 p.m. on April 5, there is just one suspected case at the centre while the Castlebar ICU remains Covid-free.

Mayo University Hospital is among six in the country to have no positive Covid cases.

However, there are still 220 in hospitals nationally, a drop of 43 in the past 24 hours.

Galway University Hospital has nine positive cases in care, no change, while Sligo University Hospital has two, down by four.

There are two suspected case at the Castlebar centre, up by two.

The number of patients in intensive care units nationally is 58, an increase of three.

There is one vacant general bed, down by two, and no vacant critical care beds today at MUH, also down by two.

The Covid battle in the community remains a challenging one, however, as Mayo recorded 127 new cases in the past two weeks.

Nationally, the Health Protection Surveillance Centre confirmed nine additional deaths yesterday along with 443 new cases.

Eight of the new cases occurred in Mayo, resulting in the county's 14-day incidence rate rising to 93.3 - below the national average of 157.1.