Covid crisis: 20,110 new cases, 682 in hospital

The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has today been notified of 20,110 confirmed cases of Covid-19.

As of 8 a.m. today, 682 patients are hospitalised, of which 86 are in ICU.

Dr Tony Holohan, chief medical officer, Department of Health said: “Once again, we are reporting another very high number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Ireland. The number of people in hospital with Covid-19 is continuing to increase.

“I know many people have cancelled or postponed planned social and family events, not just for New Years Eve, but right throughout the Christmas period.

"The occasions in life we most look forward to have been changed utterly by this pandemic. However, these collective efforts are necessary to protect ourselves, our loved ones and our health service.

“It is timely today to remember all of those who continue to contribute so much to our response to Covid-19, particularly the individual and collective efforts of our frontline healthcare workers who are now facing into a third year of pandemic response.

"In the most challenging of circumstances, they continue to work to protect public health and to maintain access to services across all parts of our health service.

"In the delivery of both Covid and non-Covid services, patients and their families have benefitted from their empathy, skill, and care. January will likely be a difficult time and I would like to thank all of our health care workers most sincerely for their efforts.

“We also remember those who have sadly died with Covid-19 in Ireland since the beginning of this pandemic, along with their families and loved ones who are grieving their loss.

"We must all remember that it is our collective, national response and the ongoing and extraordinary sacrifices each one of us is making that will break the chains of transmission, minimise the pressure on our health service, ensure that as few families as possible are similarly impacted in 2022 and lead to brighter days ahead.