Ireland reports record levels of Covid-19 – how is everywhere else coping?

A health worker collects a swab sample of a woman to test for Covid-19 at a market in Jammu, India.

Ireland is just one of several countries globally to have reported record-breaking levels of Covid-19 in the past 24 hours.

The World Health Organisation has said that the ongoing spread of the highly-transmissible Omicron variant has resulted in a “tsunami of cases” worldwide.

"Delta and Omicron are now twin threats driving up cases to record numbers, leading to spikes in hospitalisation and deaths," WHO director-general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said today.

Global infections hit a record high over the past seven-day period, according to Reuters data, with almost 900,000 cases detected on average each day around the world between December 22 and 28.

Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan said that the latest epidemiological indicators “are a cause of concern”.

This evening, Ireland reported 16,428 cases, the highest number ever recorded in a 24-hour period.

Dr Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health said that the latest epidemiological indicators “are a cause of concern”.

“In recent days, we have seen a rise in new admissions to hospital of Covid-19 patients, at levels not seen since January 2021,” he said.

Across the water, a new record has been set for all four British nations as they reported their figures for the first time since Christmas Eve.

People wait in turn to receive a 'Jingle Jab' Covid vaccination booster injection at Redbridge Town Hall, in Ilford, Essex

A further 183,037 Covid-19 cases had been recorded in Britain. That is a new record high and more than 50,000 higher than the previous record.

Of this, 138,287 were in England, 15,849 in Scotland, 5,929 in Wales, and 22,972 in Northern Ireland (Northern Ireland figures are reported over a five-day period).

In the US, Covid-19 cases have soared to a record level of 265,000 cases per day on average, with the previous highest average being 250,000 cases per day almost an entire year ago.

Pam Hetherly fills a syringe with COVID-19 vaccine at a clinic at the Augusta Armory, Maine.

Over 44,000 people in the US could die of Covid-19 in the next month, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an increase of 1,800 deaths on average per day from 1,523.

France hit both a national and European record today with 208,000 cases reported in the space of 24 hours, a “dizzying” surge in cases according to their health minister.

Daily case numbers have also peaked in Italy, where 98,030 cases have been reported in the past 24 hours - beating their previous record of 78,313 recorded a day earlier.

In Spain, the incidence rate (amount of people with Covid-19 per 100,000) has reached 1,360 as demand for antigen test mounts.

People wearing protective face masks pose for a photo outside a Christmas decorated coffee shop in Psiri district of Athens variant.

Greece is tightening restrictions after a new daily record of 21,657 cases was reported this week, while Malta, Cyprus and Portugal also hit a record level of infection.

Australia registered almost 18,300 new cases, overtaking Tuesday's previous high of around 11,300.

However, deaths and hospitalisations are comparatively low according to CDC director Dr Rochelle Walensky.

The global hospitalisation rate for the past week is up 14%, while deaths were down about 7% to 1,100 per day.