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A public health expert is concerned that there is a “slight upward trend” in the coronavirus numbers.
However, UCC professor Gerry Killeen said the number of cases was expected to rise to 761 yesterday due to an accumulation of swabs.
Last night, 18 more deaths were confirmed and 63 people with Covid-19 were being treated in the ICU last night.
Professor Killeen said he believes we are already entering a fourth wave, but action can be taken against the UK variant.
“I would just like to assure everyone that B117 can be contained. There is no guarantee for future variants, but it can be contained,” said Professor Killeen.
“It can be reduced if we can go back to doing all the things we have to do to get there.”
Professor Killeen, a founding member of the Independent Scientific Advisory Group (Isag) that advocates for Zero Covid, said there are many options for the country once the supply of vaccines increases.
“The vaccines are coming in and it would be a shame to get an arrow to the chest just as the cavalry crosses the hill. Once the vaccines arrive, there are all kinds of options, including elimination.”
Tullamore, in County Offaly, has the highest Covid-19 infection rate in the country.
The incidence of the disease in the area has increased by 9% over the past week, through Monday.
The incidence rate per 100,000 people in Tullamore is 823, about five times higher than the national average.
It’s after a walk-in testing center was established in the city last week, which may have contributed to the high number of cases.
The area is followed by Balbriggan in Dublin, which has a rate of 547 cases per 100,000 residents.
Other areas with rates over 400 include Letterkenny and Buncrana in Donegal, as well as Ongar in Dublin.
In all, there are nine local electoral areas that have rates of less than 5 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, including three in Cork and two in each May and Kerry.
Four more emerging Covid-19 test centers open this morning in Dublin, Galway, Westmeath and Kildare.
They are aimed at contracting asymptomatic infections of the disease and those without any symptoms are encouraged to attend.
About 14,000 people were tested at similar centers in the past week with a positivity rate of around 3%.
A center at Crumlin in Dublin will open for seven days starting this morning, while facilities at Naas Racecourse in Kildare and Athlone Regional Sports Center will be available for five days.
A center at Ballinasloe in Galway will be open for three days.
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