Irish Examiner view: St Patrick's Day looms, but Covid hasn’t gone anywhere

More than 30,000 cases have been diagnosed in three days 

Micheál Martin at the head of the annual St Patrick's Day parade in central London. Picture: 

The concerning rise in the number of Covid-19 cases is a phenomenon not isolated to Ireland.

In China, which remains the most likely source of the original virus, the ruling Communist Party has established its most stringent lockdown protocols for two years. Tens of millions of people across the country face restrictions, including the entire Jilin province and the technology hub of Shenzhen, whose principal companies include iPhone supplier Foxconn.