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16th Aug 2021

1,558 new cases of Covid-19 confirmed as CMO “closely monitoring” rise in cases with “some concern”

Clara Kelly

Travel restrictions Christmas Ireland

262 Covid-19 patients are hospitalised, of which 51 are in ICU.

There have been 1,558 new cases of Covid-19 reported in Ireland on Sunday.

The figures released from the Department of Health on Monday did not contain information regarding deaths related to Covid-19.

The Department of Health’s statement said that the number of daily cases may also change due to future data validation.

As of 8am on Monday, 262 Covid-19 patients are hospitalised, of which 51 are in ICU.

Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Tony Holohan said that there is now a very high level of disease circulating in the community, which the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) are monitoring with “some concern”.

“The Delta variant has enabled Covid-19 to regain a foothold in Ireland, which puts us all at risk as social contacts and mobility increase. We are closely monitoring the spread of the virus with some concern,” he said.

“Vaccines will help us turn the tide, but we are not there yet. We need to give vaccines the time and space to build up levels of protection across all demographics so that we can continue to progress the re-opening of all sectors of society and our economy.”

It comes as HSE CEO Paul Reid said on Sunday that the number of people in hospital with the virus increased “sixfold” over the past six weeks, climbing from 40 six weeks ago to 248 as of Sunday morning.

“We should take great confidence from the vaccination programme,” he told Newstalk’s On The Record programme.

“I can see it working in terms of hospitalisations and in terms of ICU.”

However, Reid said that in spite of the success of the vaccine rollout, 248 is a “lot of people who are very sick”, adding that while the vaccines do help, “we are not bulletproof”.

“It’s a real alert to all of us and take strong encouragement that vaccines are working, but we are not bulletproof.

The HSE Chief added that while a majority of the adult population is now fully vaccinated at 80%, the virus still has “very high transmission levels in the community”.

He said that while “none of us have 100% protection from getting the virus”, the sickness is “not as strong” as it was in January.

“What we are seeing is people are hospitalised and staying shorter than it was in January of this year. The level of sickness is not as strong,” he said.

Main Image: Sam Boal/RollingNews.ie.

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