Three Covid-19 outbreaks linked to overseas flights

The Department of Health has said vaccinated people still need to enter mandatory hotel quarantine when they arrive here. File Picture: Leah Farrell / RollingNews.ie

Overseas flights have been linked to three Covid-19 outbreaks in the past fortnight.

Two of these outbreaks involve possible 'variant of concern' cases which remain under investigation.

The Department of Health has said vaccinated people still need to enter mandatory hotel quarantine when they arrive here.

There is some evidence people who have been vaccinated have subsequently been diagnosed with Covid-19 involving a variant of concern.

Meanwhile, the Health Minister confirmed last night that Albania, Israel and St Lucia have been taken off the travel list.

Stephen Donnelly said a small number of people who have arrived here from these three states in recent days can leave mandatory hotel quarantine as soon as they want.

From 4am on Thursday, the US and Canada, as well as a number of EU countries including France, Belgium and Italy will be added to the mandatory hotel quarantine list.