Almost half of new Covid-19 cases worldwide in previous week were recorded in Europe 

A worker at the Dundalk Stadium Covid-19 drive through test centre prepares to give a PCR test.

Europe remains the region worst hit by Covid-19, with the highest number of deaths despite falling case numbers in some countries, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said.

The organisation issued its latest update as Ireland reported 6,843 new PCR-confirmed cases, and a further 5,295 antigen cases of the virus.

There were 18.7m new cases found last week globally, according to the WHO, and 8.2m (or 44%) were in Europe. Almost all regions reported increasing cases, except for countries in Africa which saw a 27% decrease compared to the week before.

More than 21,000 people died in Europe with Covid-19 last week, with the most deaths seen in Russia, Poland, and Italy.

The record level of cases in Europe prompted WHO chief Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to warn the pandemic is "nowhere near over". 

In the Americas, 7.1m (or 38%) of new cases were found. Brazil continues to struggle, with 974 people dying last week, with a total of 621,517 deaths as case numbers hit their highest of the pandemic.

The WHO continues to ask governments to support the COVAX vaccine programme — the worldwide initiative which promotes equal access to vaccines. 

In Ireland, over two-thirds of adults have now received a booster dose, according to Professor Brian MacCraith, head of the vaccine taskforce. This is rate is at 95% among over-70s, he said, and is at 45% among people aged 18 to 39 so far. Anyone who had Covid-19 does not need until three months after the infection. 

Meanwhile, some hospitals continue to have a high number of Covid patients despite case numbers overall being much lower than initially feared.

On Tuesday evening, out of 290 intensive care unit (ICU) beds staffed nationally, just 10 were empty and just five of the 32 paediatric ICU beds were available. Three children were in ICUs with Covid-related illnesses.

University Hospital Limerick topped the HSE list with 84 Covid patients, including 11 in ICU, on Monday. University Hospital Kerry was the fifth worst-hit in the country with 50 Covid patients, including one in ICU.

Cork University Hospital had 36 Covid patients with four people in ICU, and Mercy University Hospital had 27 with three in ICU. On Tuesday, the Mercy appealed to people to only attend the hospital if it is an urgent situation.

Waterford University Hospital had 27 Covid-patients including three in critical care, and there were 26 in Tipperary University Hospital, with two in ICU.

Yesterday there were 90 Covid patients in ICUs out of 910 in hospitals, the Department of Health said. They confirmed 12,138 new cases, including 6,843 by PCR testing and 5,295 through antigen testing.