Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said the surge in Covid-19 cases in recent days is evidence that more people need to get booster jabs to protect the wider community.
Almost 16,000 new cases of Covid-19 were confirmed by the Department of Health on Friday and the seven-day positivity rate has increased to 34.1%, from 30.4% last Friday and 27.9% two weeks ago.
The latest figures reveal that 907 Covid patients are in hospitals, with 37 of them being treated in intensive care units (ICUs).
So far, 2.8m boosters have been administered in Ireland but the Taoiseach says more boosters are needed.
Mr Martin said the situation in hospitals across the country is “very challenging”, and will be for the coming weeks.
“We’re keeping a very close eye on it,” he said.
“I would appeal to people who are now due vaccination to get vaccinated. Get your booster. There are a lot of people who have gotten Covid did not get boosted.”
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