CMO Tony Holohan has urged anyone who still needs to get their Covid-19 vaccine to do so.
3,726 new cases of Covid-19 were reported in Ireland on Tuesday (2 November), the highest daily case figure since mid-January.
As of 8am on Tuesday, 493 Covid-19 patients are hospitalised, of which 90 are in ICU.
Meanwhile, the 14-day incidence stands at 695 per 100,000, an increase of 18% on last week.
The Department of Health said daily case numbers may change due to future data validation.
The @hpscireland has today been notified of 3,726* confirmed cases of #COVID19.
As of 8am today, 493 COVID-19 patients are hospitalised, of which 90 are in ICU.
*Daily case numbers may change due to future data validation.
— Department of Health (@roinnslainte) November 2, 2021
In a statement accompanying the figures, Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan urged anyone unvaccinated against the virus to receive a Covid-19 vaccine.
“Covid-19 is circulating widely in our community, but we have the tools to limit its spread,” he said.
“We know that vaccination is very successful at preventing severe illness and hospitalisation and I urge anyone who still needs to get their Covid-19 vaccine to do so.
“We also know that, even when vaccinated, we still need to practise basic public health interventions – washing our hands, opening windows, wearing masks and most importantly, staying home when we have symptoms.
“These simple measures are very successful at breaking the chains of transmission of this disease.
“As we practise all elements of the public health advice, we keep ourselves, and our communities, safe.”
Speaking on RTÉ Radio 1 on Tuesday morning, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said there is no guarantee that Covid restrictions won’t return in due course.
“The model we received from NPHET was looking at a peak [in cases] towards the end of November”, Martin said.
“It is very concerning, the high rises in Covid-19 cases”, he added.
The Taoiseach commended the effort the public had put in to this point, citing the 92% of the population that are vaccinated, and the increased usage of antigen testing.
“Collectively if we continue to work to just be cautious in terms of our individual behaviours, we can avoid the need to return or any negative, backward progress.
“We’ve learned from Covid-19 that no one can guarantee anything in respect of it, and we have to take it seriously. The vaccines work. We are in a different position to the one we were at last year.”
Main image via Sam Boal/Rollingnews.ie
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