LATEST: Varadkar warns of further restrictions as over 2,500 new cases of virus confirmed

A further 2,605 more people have contracted Covid-19, the Department of Health confirmed this evening.

And the number of patients being treated in hospital for the virus now stands at 487, a drop of 16 on yesterday’s figures

Of these, 99 people are being treated in ICU, a drop of two.

Speaking earlier, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said that although he believes another lockdown can be avoided, it cannot be ruled out entirely.

Mr Varadkar said that, as a result of over 90% of the population being vaccinated, 2,000 to 3,000 daily cases do not have the same impact as they did last winter.

But he warned further restrictions may have to be implemented.

“Nobody can rule it [another lockdown] out. As the CMO said the other day, It can’t be taken off the table, but we do believe that we can avoid it,” the Tánaiste said.

“Deaths – though deaths are happening and every death is a tragedy – are a fraction of what they would have been previously because of the vaccines.”