Worrying number of Covid cases at Mayo hospital

A total of 26 patients are being treated for Covid-19 at Mayo University Hospital.

It's the joint highest number in the country alongside Galway University Hospital and University Hospital Limerick.

Ten new cases were admitted to the Castlebar centre last Monday.

Nationally, there are 358 hospitalised Covid cases today.

It has been reported the Covid-19 variant XBB.1.5 appears to be the latest to have taken hold in Ireland.

It has been found in a majority of patients testing positive for the virus who have developed severe acute respiratory infection.

Apart from the pressures relating to Covid-19, there are 21 patients left without beds at Mayo University Hospital.

Up to 13 are in the emergency ward and eight are elsewhere in the facility.