93 in ICU and 2,427 new Covid cases as HSE chief asks unvaccinated to 'listen to facts'

This figure is slightly down from yesterday’s tally of 2,466, which represented the highest daily case toll since January.

As of 8am this morning, there were 449 people in hospital with the virus, of which 93 are in ICU, up three from yesterday.

This is the most people in ICU with the virus since March 8 of this year.

HSE chief Paul Reid has said that the health service are running a number of initiatives to increase the uptake among people who have not yet been vaccinated. Mr Reid encouraged unvaccinated people to “listen to the facts and evidence”.

“We're running a number of initiatives to increase uptake of those unvaccinated. If you are unvaccinated, please listen to the facts and evidence.

“Our ICU consultants can clearly outline the disproportionately high number of younger unvaccinated people they are treating,” Mr Reid said.

There are roughly 370,000 adults that are not yet fully vaccinated in Ireland.

Ireland’s incidence of Covid-19 is continuing to grow despite high levels of vaccination in the population. The national 14-day incidence is now above 500 cases per 100,000 of the population.

Nphet reported at their briefing this week that the pandemic is now growing in Ireland at a rate of 2-3pc every day.

Earlier today, Taoiseach Micheál Martin told Newstalk that the Government do not want to return to lockdowns or further restrictions but also acknowledged that the virus “is dictating this, not the Government”.

He said the Government must respond to the virus as it manifests itself and said he believes Ireland must see out the upcoming winter before it can say it is through the pandemic.