IRELAND HAS reported 46 further deaths from Covid-19, the highest daily death toll since the peak of the pandemic in April.
As of 6pm yesterday evening, 3,086 new cases were identified within the Republic, a number which is slowly getting smaller since the explosion of cases over Christmas as people begin reducing their number of contacts.
However the huge number of cases seen in Ireland in recent days has led to more people becoming dangerously ill, and the 46 deaths reported yesterday-- two which took place in December and the remaining 44 in January-- reflects this.
As of 2pm yesterday, 1,692 COVID-19 patients were hospitalised, of which 158 were in ICU. There were 128 additional hospitalisations in the past 24 hours.
These statistics, Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan warned, means there will likely continue to be a high death rate in the coming days.
"Unfortunately this evening we are seeing the effect of the recent surge of infections reflected in the increased mortality we are reporting," Dr Holohan said at a press briefing yeterday evenng.
"Unfortunately, due to the unsustainably high level of COVID-19 infection we have experienced as a country over the past few weeks, sadly these figures are likely to continue for the next period of time.
"What we can do today, out of respect of those who have lost their lives and those currently in hospital or ICU - and those caring for them - is to hold firm and stay home."
Ireland has now recorded a total of 155,591 cases of Covid-19 since the pandemic began, many of these cases having been notified in the last two months alone as Ireland suffers from the worst Covid infection rate in the world.
2,397 people have passed away from the disease.
