A further 2,051 Covid-19 cases have been confirmed in the State today.
As of 8 am today, 323 Covid-19 patients are hospitalised, of which 56 are in ICU.
There has been a total of 5,092 deaths related to the virus notified in Ireland, this is an increase of 18 deaths in the past week.
Chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan said: “While we have increasing levels of vaccination across the population, we continue to have significant concerns over the Delta variant and the increase in the incidence of disease across a range of factors. Unfortunately, this variant is still circulating widely.
“Over 70 per cent of cases are in unvaccinated or partially vaccinated people, and we are seeing a high incidence of Covid-19 in adults and teenagers aged 16-29. If you haven’t yet registered for your vaccine or have delayed receiving your second dose, please do so as soon as possible. We know that vaccines work. They are about 80 per cent effective at preventing symptomatic Covid-19 disease, and they provide approximately 95 per cent protection against hospitalisation.
“It is very important that we remain vigilant and continue to follow the public health measures that we are all so familiar with. This is especially important for anyone who is soon to return to school and college.
“Continue to wear a mask, wash your hands properly and often, maintain a social distance, manage your contacts and avoid crowds.”
