Health experts warn Covid wave in Ireland will reach its peak next week

DUBLIN: Health experts have warned that the peak of the current wave of Covid-19 in Ireland is expected next week. They say there are two-to-three times more positive cases in the country than what is being reported through PCR and antigen tests.

Professor of Immunology in DCU Christine Loscher said the pattern in Ireland is that Covid subvariants have arisen every three months. She said that there will be new sub-variants like BA.4 and BA.5, but it is unknown if the next variant will be mild or not.

As of today morning, there were 903 people in hospital with Covid-19. Of these, 36 patients are in intensive care units.

Meanwhile, Clare GP Dr Yvonne Williams said people should be as cautious as they were in the early days of the pandemic and assume that someone they meet outside may unknowingly have Covid-19.

Dr Yvonne said the advice is to isolate for seven days and people can stop isolating for the next three days if they have no symptoms. But she also reminded to take precautions like wearing a mask, working from home and avoiding crowds.