More than 9,000 extra cases to be reported when system catches up - senior health official

Empty streets on New years day during the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic in Dublin's city centre. Photo: Gareth Chaney/Collins

A senior health official has warned that more than 9,000 additional cases will be reported when the system catches up on this week’s cases, as the backlog between Covid-19 tests completed and reported continues to grow.

Prof Philip Nolan, chair of the NPHET Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group, said: “An excess of 9,000 additional new cases will be reported over the coming days. The reporting delay does not affect case management or contract tracing or our overall modelling of the pandemic.”