436 Covid cases confirmed as Tánaiste says people have 'every reason' to be hopeful

The Cabinet sub-committee on Covid-19 is meeting this evening to discuss what further restrictions can be eased this summer. Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins

The Tánaiste has said that people have every reason to be hopeful about summer as 436 cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed this evening.

There are currently 101 Covid patients in hospital, of which 39 are in ICU.

HSE chief Dr Colm Henry said there have been eight Covid-related deaths over the past 12 days.

The full data on Covid deaths and cases has not been available since the HSE cyberattack on May 14.

The number of cases of the Indian variants are mounting and there are significant concerns for health officials.

At a briefing, health officials confirmed that there were 58 cases of the B.1.617.1 and 97 cases of B.1.617.2 variants here as of Wednesday.

The number of B.1.617.2 is up from 72 as recently as last Friday.

The HSE's chief clinical officer Dr Colm Henry said that while the Indian variants are more transmissible, he pointed to recent studies which say Pfizer and AstraZeneca are effective against it after two doses.

The Cabinet sub-committee on Covid-19 is meeting this evening to discuss what further restrictions can be eased this summer.

Tonight, ministers will discuss the way forward through July and August.

The Tánaiste said people have every reason to be hopeful ahead of an announcement on the further easing of Covid restrictions.

It is understood Nphet gave largely positive advice yesterday and have backed plans to reopen further despite some concerns about the Indian variant.

Picture: Larry Cummins

Leo Varadkar said people can expect a positive announcement tomorrow evening.

"The people of Ireland have every reason to be hopeful about the summer ahead," Mr Varadkar said earlier today.

"The number of people in hospital in below 100, the number of people in ICU is under 50 and cases are stable at around 400-500 a day as I predicted they would be several months ago."

The sub-committee will examine a date for the return of indoor dining, likely in early July.

It will also be updated on live events including gigs and matches with spectators that will take place over the summer.

Trial events in June are expected to lead to a wider re-opening in July and August.

Decisions will also have to be made on international travel as mandatory hotel quarantine looks set to be extended until the end of July.

The Health Minister has said the measure is needed to combat variants of concern.

The measures will be reviewed around the time Ireland adopts the EU digital green cert on travel.

Stephen Donnelly said mandatory hotel quarantining has achieved and is achieving what it was introduced to do - help to contain the virus and obstructing variants of concern getting into the wider community.

"There has been a fall in the detection of variants of concern in Ireland since late March when mandatory hotel quarantine was introduced," said Mr Donnelly.

"Ireland is at a critical stage in the vaccination programme and it is essential that this is not undermined at this point."

Half of Irish adults will have received first jab by end of week 

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly updated the Dáil on the vaccine rollout but said that it is "unclear" if the Government's target of vaccinating, or offering a dose, to 80% of adults by the end of June will be met. Picture: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

Over half of Irish adults will have received a first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine by the end of the weekend but significant shortfalls in the delivery of the one-shot J&J vaccine has put government targets in doubt, the Dáil has been told.

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly updated the Dáil on the vaccine rollout but said that it is "unclear" if the Government's target of vaccinating, or offering a dose, to 80% of adults by the end of June will be met.

Mr Donnelly told the Dáil that this is down to "significant" delivery shortfalls, particularly with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

He said that while Ireland had a contract for 600,000 doses of the one-shot vaccine, the best-case scenario is that 235,000 will be delivered.

In the worst case, it would be just 60,000.

He said that this is down to a J&J plant in the US not yet being approved by the European Medicines Agency.

The Minister said that while Ireland had signed up to a new purchase scheme for Pfizer vaccines, there are "some doubts" about the AstraZeneca delivery schedule.