The Irish Ministry of Health announced on Tuesday that SARS-CoV-2 cases had risen to 3,726 in 24 hours, the highest level since mid-January. It is also the first time since the first month of the year that they broke the 3,000 barrier. They increased by almost 31% compared to Monday (2,855). Their average over the last six days – over 2,700 – is also the highest since January.
Yesterday, 493 patients with COVID-19 (-22 in 24 hours) were treated in Irish hospitals, 90 in intensive care units (ICU).
Tony Hulohan, a senior health ministry official, urged those who have not yet been vaccinated against COVID-19 to do so as soon as possible to avoid an increase in hospital admissions and new deaths. Some 300,000 people in Ireland have not yet been vaccinated, Deputy Prime Minister Leo Varadkar recently estimated in a statement to the media.
Citizens aged 60-79 have already started receiving booster doses of their COVID-19 vaccines. The campaign will be extended immediately to front-line health workers, Health Minister Steven Donnelly said on Monday.
He also called on Dáil, the Irish Parliament, to extend for three months the state of emergency that expires on November 9, according to Irish public radio and television RTÉ.
Prime Minister Michal Martin warned yesterday on RTÉ that there were no guarantees that the restrictive measures – which the government lifted on October 22 – would not be needed again.
Deaths from complications of COVID-19 in Ireland reached 5,436 on November 1, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
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