3,680 new cases confirmed with 543 Covid patients in hospital 

Some 543 Covid patients are currently hospitalised, down eight from yesterday's figure. Picture: Collins

The Department of Health has confirmed that there have been 3,680 confirmed cases of Covid-19 recorded today.

Some 543 Covid patients are currently hospitalised, down eight from yesterday's figure. 

The number of patients in intensive care is 97, up eight from yesterday.

Late last night, the Tánaiste told a Fine Gael parliamentary party meeting that the Covid cases are over 4,000 a day, but Nphet is not minded to reimpose restrictions.

Leo Varadkar said a backlog in cases is keeping the announced figures down, but the true figure is now over 4,000.

However, he said that reimposing restrictions, while not being ruled out, is not on the agenda.

The Chief Medical Officer previously warned that the virus is circulating “at too high a level” in Ireland.

Dr Tony Holohan stated: The virus moves when we are in close contact with a Covid positive person. This person could be a family member, a friend, a colleague or a stranger. It could be someone with no symptoms who is fully vaccinated.

"The action needed now is for all of us to reduce our social contacts and give the virus less opportunity to spread. Reduce the people you intend to meet this week by half. If we all do this collectively, we can suppress current levels of infection.” Dr Holohan added that he is aware that people “are all tired of this virus”.

The Department said on Wednesday that 74 deaths related to Covid-19 had been confirmed in the past week.