LATEST: 1,378 new cases of virus confirmed

A further 1,378 people have contracted the coronavirus, the Department of Health confirmed this evening.

This is an increase of 268 on the case numbers yesterday.

There are 96 people in hospital with Covid-19, seven more than yesterday’s figures.

22 people are in ICU with Covid-19, one more than yesterday’s total.

Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn, said: “We now have over 65% of our adult population fully vaccinated and 75% of adults have received a first dose of 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.

“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.

“Vaccines along with the core public health advice remain our pathway out of this pandemic,” Dr Glynn concluded.