Figures from the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) have shown a jump in the number of people admitted to an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for the COVID-19 coronavirus.

On Thursday it was revealed that 148 cases had been admitted to an ICU - this compares to just 84 cases last Saturday.

However of the 148 admitted to an ICU, 25 of those cases have been discharged.

Figures have seen a steady rise in ICU admissions.

Data from Tuesday March 31st showed 134 patients admitted to an ICU.

On Monday March 20th that figure stood at 126, and dropped back further on Sunday to 113.

Health Minister Simon Harris says these figures are being watched closely.

In a message on Twitter, he says: "It is important that we can see, through, how many people go into ICU - but equally how many people come out the other side and are discharged.

"So 109 people currently in ICU with COVID-19".

A few updates this Thursday evening - suppliers, prescriptions, ICU, student nurses & public health emergency meeting #Covid19 #coronavirus https://t.co/9OgSx904PJ

— Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) April 2, 2020

Minister Harris also notes that the overwhelming majority of the virus is now from community transmission.

"So there was a time a time people were wondering did you get this from holidays, or did you get abroad or what about this plane or this flight.

"What's very clear in the figures now is that 60% of the cases are  community transmission - so you're more likely to get it in your home or in your locality than anywhere else".

The overall Irish death toll from the virus was 98 on Thursday.

Thirteen more patients - four women and nine men - died, the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) said.

Nine of those deaths were in the east of the country, one in the south and three in the west.

Ten of the patients were reported as having underlying health conditions.

The median age of deaths in Ireland now stands at 82.

There are now 3,849 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ireland.