LATEST: Holohan ‘increasingly worried’ as numbers in hospital surpass 500

A further 2,193 more people have contracted the coronavirus as the number of patients in hospital with Covid-19 surpassed the 500 mark, the Department of Health  confirmed this evening.

The number of patients being treated in hospital for the virus now stands at 513 patients, of whom 97 are in intensive care.

Commenting on today’s figures, Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan said he is “increasingly worried about the rising incidence of the disease nationwide”.

Dr Holohan said “our primary focus” now must be to protect the most vulnerable from Covid-19.

He added: “We are seeing a continuing increase in hospitalisation and intensive care admissions – a substantial amount of whom are not fully vaccinated – placing our frontline healthcare services, including non-Covid care, under significant pressure.

“It is essential that we do everything we can to break the chains of transmission of the Delta variant in the community, in the workplace and in our homes.”