PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS have confirmed 1,378 new cases of Covid-19 in Ireland.

The Department of Health has reported that 96 patients with Covid-19 are in hospital today, including 22 people in ICU.

Yesterday, 1,110 cases were reported, with 89 Covid-19 patients in hospital, 21 of whom were in intensive care. 

Data relating to the number of deaths associated with Covid-19, as well as case numbers by county, have been affected by the cyber attack on the HSE IT systems.

Today’s figures did not contain any information about whether there were any other deaths due to the virus. 

Disease incidence in Ireland is continuing to increase

🔵The national 14-day incidence rate has increased from 93/100,000 in week of 24 June to 246/100,000 today
🔵The 5-day moving average of cases has increased from 300 to 1,182 cases/day over the same period

ℹ️ ℹ️#COVID19

— Dr Ronan Glynn (@ronan_glynn) July 21, 2021

Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn said that Ireland’s 14-day incidence has increased from 93 cases per 100,000 population in the last week of June to 246 cases per 100,000 today. 

Dr Glynn said Ireland’s 5-day moving average has increased from 300 to 1,182 cases per day over the same period. 

He said the incidence rate is highest and “increasingly rapidly” in people aged 19-24 and 16-18 but the rate is also increasing in most other age groups. 

Every county has had more Covid-19 cases in the past seven days than in the week prior, Dr Glynn said.

In a statement this evening, he added that over 65% of adults are now fully vaccinated and three-quarters have received their first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine.

“We know that COVID-19 vaccines are extraordinarily effective at reducing each person’s individual risk of hospitalisation or severe disease. The Delta variant does not change this,” Dr Glynn said.

“However, this variant is much more transmissible than what we have been dealing with previously and, as such, the challenge remains to protect as many people through vaccination as quickly as possible, across all age groups.”