665 people confirmed with COVID-19 are being treated in acute hospitals across the country.
The daily figure is the lowest in roughly three weeks.
There are 93 people in intensive care – down from a peak of 160 at the start of April.
A further 330 new COVID-19 cases were confirmed yesterday, along with 19 more deaths.
***
The HSE aims to have a three-day turnaround for COVID-19 test results from May 18th.
The Executive still hopes to hit its long-promised target of 100,000 tests per week by the same date.
The failure to hit the target is one of the reasons COVID-19 restrictions will remain largely unchanged for the next two weeks.
HSE Chief Executive Paul Reid said 84% of affected nursing homes have now had all residents and staff checked for the virus.
***
The US President Donald Trump has repeated his promise to move US pharmaceutical companies based in Ireland back to the US.
Speaking to Fox News last night, President Trump namechecked China and Ireland and noted that “everybody makes our drugs except us.”
He said the US would be “bringing that whole supply chain back.”
In the interview, President Trump also said he was “very confident” a coronavirus vaccine will be developed by the end of the year.
***
The leaders of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Green Party are set to meet tomorrow to set a timetable for coalition talks.
It comes after the Greens agreed to join formal coalition talks.
The party warned any programme for government would have to be "transformative on climate action" and approved by a two-thirds majority of its members.
The Greens' 12 seats would give a government a majority of five, which is expected to be bolstered by deals with independents.
***
France, Italy and Spain have all reported their lowest daily COVID-19 death tolls for weeks.
It comes after the three worst-hit countries in Europe prepare to ease coronavirus restrictions.
France reported 135 deaths; Spain's 164 was the lowest figure since mid-March; and Italy's 174 was the lowest in two months.
Italy is today reopening parks and public gardens, Spain is allowing people outside for the first time since March 14th an d France aims to lift its lockdown on May 11th.
