A further 529 confirmed COVID cases have been announced this evening.

Last night, there were 86 patients in hospital – a 13% decrease on this day last week.

Meanwhile, there were 28 in ICU – down 10 on last week and the lowest figure since late December.

The HSE cyberattack continues to affect the reporting of the case figures, which "may change due to future data review, validation and update."

The five-day moving average has now jumped to 423.

The five day moving average. Image: Newstalk

It comes after the Health Minister Stephen Donnelly and Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan met with public representatives in Limerick to discuss the “significant increase” in cases in the county.

The 14-day rate in the county now stands at 426 cases per 100,000 people and yesterday, Dr Holohan warned that the majority of the 800 cases reported there in the past fortnight were related to indoor gatherings.

After the meeting, Minister Donnelly said the rate in Limerick is “simply too high and poses a serious risk to public health.”

“Public health doctors have told us that this spike is a result of indoor socialising and workplace outbreaks,” he said.

“Unfortunately, this sharp rise puts our hard-won progress against COVID-19 at risk. It is simply too soon to stop adhering to the public health measures that have protected us so well for so long.”

The Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly outside Government Buildings, 30-03-2021. Image: Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews

He urged everyone in Limerick redouble their efforts in following public health guidelines.

“In the past we have seen Limerick’s ability to respond quickly to COVID-19 and effectively get the virus under control,” he said.

“We need people to harness the community spirit we have seen Limerick people display time and time again, to continue to protect our loved ones.

“This is a stark reminder for the rest of us across the country of the risk COVID-19 continues to pose.

“We cannot let our guard down now. All of our collective hard work and sacrifice has contributed to the success of our vaccination programme and the progress we have made so far with reopening our economy and society.”

He noted that the priority remains to suppress the virus until we have the vast majority of the population vaccinated.

The AstraZeneca vaccine in a pharmacy in St Denis, Paris, 28-05-2021. Image: Karim Ait Adjedjou/Avenir Pictures/ABACAPRESS.COM

Separately, up to 400,000 could face a shorter wait for their second vaccine dose after the Government confirmed a reduction in the interval between Astrazeneca doses.

The change comes on foot of fresh advice from NIAC (National Immunisation Advisory Committee).

The committee also advised that people under 50 who have no underlying conditions and have been infected with COVID-19 in the last nine months do not need a second dose.

Meanwhile, anyone aged 42 can register for a vaccine from today as the rollout continues.