LATEST: Taoiseach rules out return of contact tracing for children as over 2,500 new cases of virus confirmed

A further 2,549 more people have contracted the coronavirus, the Department of Health confirmed this evening.

And the number of patients being treated in hospitals for Covid-19 now stands at 481, down six on yesterday.

Of these, 97 patients are being treated in ICU, a drop of two.

Speaking earlier, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said there will be no return to widespread contact tracing for children. He said the Government does not want children out of school for 10 days unnecessarily.

The Taoiseach also said the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) may give consideration to giving vaccines to children in a month’s time when the European Medicines Agency has completed its own assessment.