The chief medical officer says Covid-19 cases are rising sharply among young adults due to the Omicron variant.
The positivity rate among 16 to 34 year-olds has jumped to 25 per cent, one of the highest rates since the pandemic began.
Incidence has begun to rise sharply in those aged 16-34 yrs. This will spread in the coming days to affect other age groups. We know that a large wave of #Omicron infection is coming.
There are 3 reasons why we must do all we can to slow down the speed with which it impacts:— Dr Ronan Glynn (@ronan_glynn) December 20, 2021
The five-day moving average of Covid cases has also risen above 5,000, after increasing by 16 per cent in the past week.
Dr Tony Holohan says the spike in infections among young adults is down to the new variant;
"It's inherently the growth advantage this particular variant has and that's probably made up of one, the virus itself being more transmissible inherently but also that it has an ability to be able to escape the protections we have in our immunity from both vaccination and from having a prior infection."
There could be a five-fold increase in the number of Covid patients in hospital, due to the Omicron variant.
NPHET says the figure could top 2,000 next month, compared to 419 at the moment.
Supports
Meanwhile the cabinet's expected to approve updated supports for businesses impacted by the latest restrictions on hospitality and live events when it meets this morning.
The Irish Examiner reports changes to the Covid Restrictions Support Scheme could see affected companies able to claim up to €5,000 a week.
