There have been a further 4,407 confirmed cases of COVID-19 reported by the Department of Health today.
As of this morning there were 614 people in the country in hospital with COVID-19, with 114 admitted to intensive care units for treatment.
Chief Medical Officer Dr. Tony Holohan said that there have been almost 55,000 cases in Ireland over the past fortnight.
“The only time we have had more cases in a 14-day period was in January this year, and, unfortunately, we do expect this figure to increase in the coming days.”
He said that this level of cases is “unsustainable” and that everyone should act as though they are close contacts, with a high risk of transmitting the virus.
“We are more likely to contract COVID-19 from someone we know – a friend, a work colleague, a teammate – than a stranger passing by in a shop or on the bus. Please prioritise who you need to meet.”
“Over two million people are now eligible for a booster vaccine, including everyone over 50 and those aged over 16 with underlying medical conditions.”
“Given the risk to you from the current force of infection in the community, it is really important that you minimise, as much as possible, your social contacts, while waiting for your booster.”
The government has today announced fresh restrictions amid the growing number of cases and hospitalisations.
From Thursday people are advised to revert back to working from home unless completely necessary.
Bars, restaurants, and nightclubs will have a strict closing time of midnight, and COVID passes will be required for cinemas and theatres.
Effective immediately, household close contacts, who are fully vaccinated and display no symptoms, will still be required to restrict their movements until they have 3 negative antigen test results within 5 days.
The COVID-19 data hub provides information on the key indicators of the disease in the community, including the rollout of the vaccine campaign.
