The number of Covid-19 positive patients being admitted to Cork hospitals has decreased slightly over the last number of weeks but the number of people in ICU has increased.

HSE chief executive Paul Reid said that there has been “some early signs of minor relief in Covid-19 hospital numbers”.

Taking to Twitter, he said, however, that the health system “remains under relentless strain”.

“Many very sick and vulnerable people will need care for some time. Our ICUs remain too close to a tipping point.

“Please continue to hold our guard,” he said.

Cork University Hospital (CUH) currently has 107 confirmed Covid-19 patients, while Mercy University Hospital (MUH) has 49 Covid-19 patients.

There are currently 18 Covid-positive patients in the critical care unit in CUH and seven patients with Covid-19 in the critical care unit at MUH.

There are currently no critical care beds available in either hospital.

Seven days ago, CUH had a total of 153 Covid-positive patients in its care, 16 of which were in critical care, while MUH had 44 Covid-19 patients, seven of whom were in the critical care unit.

Two weeks ago, there were 139 Covid-19 patients in CUH and 45 at MUH, with 11 people in critical care at CUH and four at MUH.

By January 10, Cork had recorded more cases of Covid-19 in the 14-day period up to January 10 than it had since the beginning of the pandemic.

The total number of cases recorded in Cork in the two-week period from December 28 to January 10 was 7,911, with the total number of cases recorded in the county up to and including January 10 standing at 15,357.

The number of people who contracted Covid-19 in Cork since the beginning of the pandemic up to and including December 28 was 7,446, meaning that the number of people with Covid-19 in that 14-day period had surged.

On January 28, there were 103 cases recorded in Cork. The 14-day incidence rate per 100,000 population in Cork was 569.2 and a total of 3,090 Covid cases were recorded in Cork over the same 14-day period.

Nationally, the total number of occupied adult critical care beds is 317, including 211 Covid-19 patients.

As well as the 211 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in critical care units, there are also three suspected Covid-19 cases in critical care units across the country.

There were five Covid-19 deaths in critical care units in the 24-hour period up to 8pm on Wednesday.

The number of confirmed Covid-19 ventilated cases is 136, with three suspected Covid-19 ventilated cases across the country.