The number of coronavirus patients in Irish hospitals has dropped more than 10% in the last week.

There were 135 COVID-19 patients in hospital last night – down 10.5% on the 151 recorded last week.

Meanwhile, the 40 patients in intensive care last night is down 11% on last week.

Last night, 453 new coronavirus cases were reported in Ireland – bringing the national total past 250,000.

As of Saturday, more than 1.5 million vaccine doses had been administered in Ireland – including 1.1 million first doses.

From today, all construction is restarting and people who work outdoors can return to work.

Next week meanwhile, a range of restrictions will be lifted – with barbers and hairdressers reopening, click and collect returning to shops and the ban on intercounty travel being lifted.

Public health expert Anthony Staines is warning that with hundreds of new cases still being recorded every day, new virus variants will be impossible to track down in time.

“If we still have hundreds of cases and a new variant comes into the country and starts running around the place,” he said. “We won’t find it until it is too late

“If we have a dozen cases a day and a new variant comes into the country, we can control that quite easily.

“It would be a bit worrying but can bring it under control but not at 400, 500, 600 cases a day. We can’t.”

Health officials say they expect to set a new vaccine record this week – administering as many as 240,000 jabs.