DUBLIN, Ireland -- The daily number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in Ireland has more than tripled in less than two weeks after the country lifted the mask mandate, according to the figures released by the Irish Department of Health on Friday.
Ireland reported 9,186 PCR-confirmed cases on Friday, an increase of more than 300 percent from the 2,277 cases recorded on Feb. 28, the day when the country scrapped most of its remaining Covid-19 restrictions, including the mandate for mask wearing in public indoor settings and on public transport.
According to the department, 907 Covid-19 patients are currently being treated in hospitals across the country, up nearly 49 percent compared with the figure recorded at the end of last month.
Despite the surge in the daily numbers of Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations, the number of Covid-19 patients being treated in intensive cares units (ICUs) in Ireland declined for the third day in a row -- down to 37 from 51 on Tuesday.
There were 47 Covid-19 patients being treated in ICUs in Ireland on the day when the mask mandate was lifted.