Just over 100 COVID-19 patients have been admitted to Intensive Care Units around the country.

Health officials are meeting this afternoon to consider potential further travel restrictions and new measures for nursing homes in a bid to control the spread of the virus.

As of last night, 2,910 people had tested positive for the coronavirus in the Republic, while 54 people had died.

It means 82 people have now died on the island of Ireland, with 3,496 confirmed cases north and south.

Latest COVID-19 figures in Ireland: Image: HSPC

New figures suggest the measures taken in the Republic so far have begun to flatten the curve – with the daily infection rate halving from 33% to 15% in the past fortnight.

However, Professor Phillip Nolan from the Modelling Advisory Group said we are heading in the right direction – but there is no room for complacency.

“Right now, we are seeing the impact of the early measures – the school closures, the university closures and the first set of distancing measures,” he said.

“We are not going to see the impact of last Friday’s very strong measures until the end of this week and out into next week.”

Professor Philip Nolan, Chair of NPHET Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group in the Department of Health, Dublin, 30-03-2020. Image: Sam Boal/RollingNews

He said officials will examine the impact of the lockdown imposed last Friday as soon as possible – with the public urged to continue their efforts in the meantime.

The majority of the patients that have been admitted to the ICU with the virus are over the age of 45; however, around one -in-ten are younger.

We should find out in the coming hours whether the National Public Health Emergency Team will announce any further restrictions on travel in and out of the country.