6,307 new cases of Covid-19 have been reported this evening - the second highest figure since January.
Latest figures show Dublin has by far the highest 14-day incidence rate in the country, at 1,703 cases per 100,000 people.
55 virus-related deaths have been reported over the past week.
429 Covid patients are in hospital, with 100 in intensive care.
The chief medical officer, Tony Holohan, says research has found many people have changed their Christmas plans.
🦠 6,307 new cases of Covid-19.
🏥 429 in hospital
🩺 100 in ICU— Ben Finnegan (@_BenFinnegan) December 22, 2021
Meanwhile, the HSE says health services are under severe strain in the run up to Christmas.
Covid hospitalisations have begun to level off recently, after rising steadily throughout November.
There has also been a fall in more severe cases. 100 virus patients are in intensive care, the lowest level in five weeks.
But Paul Reid says the numbers are still putting pressure on the system.
“If you take this day last year: we had 239 Covid positive patients in hospital and 25 in ICU.”
“Today we’ve 431, almost twice the number of Covid positive positive patients in hospital on 102 (in ICU). “
“And I see you nearly five times the number that we had this time last year.”
