The reduction in the number of Covid-positive patients in Ireland has been welcomed as a milestone in the pandemic.

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly said Covid hospital admissions had fallen below 500, according to the latest figures reported on Sunday.

He described the figure as a “a significant milestone and so very welcome”.

The number of patients in Irish hospitals with Covid was 532 on Saturday morning, but fell to 520 on Sunday morning, and to 496 by 2pm on Sunday.

Mr Donnelly tweeted: “All of the data is trending in the right direction.

“There are fewer patients with Covid being admitted to ICU, which had 40 patients with Covid as of this afternoon.”