The Department of Health has confirmed a further 6,735 cases of Covid-19 in the Irish republic over the past 24 hours.
The number of people in hospital with the virus stands at 461, up 35 new cases since yesterday. Of these patients; 91 are being treated in ICUs; unchanged since yesterday.
No figures for northern Ireland, again, are presently available at time of going to press.
The Department of Health estimates that more than 83% of cases are now attributable here in the Republic to the Omicron variant.
The 14 day incidence of confirmed COVID-19 cases per Local Electoral Area (LEA) here in Co. Tipperary, between December 7th and December 20th, 2021 reads as follows: –
Roscrea / Templemore – 161; Thurles – 189; Newport – 230; Carrick-On-Suir-234; Cahir – 242; Nenagh – 262; Cashel / Tipperary – 345; Clonmel – 370.
The HSE has stated that all 41 of its Covid-19 testing centres have now fully reopened after a portion were closed and others operated reduced hours over the Xmas holiday period.
Vaccination centres have also fully reopened following the two-day Christmas closure.
With the Omicron variant already the dominant virus in most European countries; Germany and Portugal are among those nations announcing post-Christmas curbs and greater social distancing measures.
Germany announced that from December 28th limits would return restricting private gatherings to a max of 10 people and nightclubs would close. Football matches from that date will also be played behind closed doors.
Meanwhile, Portugal has ordered bars and nightclubs to shut from yesterday, December 26th, and made working from home obligatory from that date until January 9th next. Outdoor gatherings will again be limited to 10 persons.
Spain has reported its highest number of daily cases since the start of the pandemic, while France has warned daily cases there could soon pass 100,000.
France began vaccinating children between the ages of 5 and 11 on Wednesday last, but said that boosters were not currently being offered to 12 to 15-year-olds. French Health Minister Mr Olivier Véran has stated that the increase in daily infections in the country, currently at about 70,000, would be driven by the Omicron variant, which he said was likely to become the dominant variant by early January.
Bars and restaurants in Finland closed at 10:00pm on December 24th, as the Nordic nation sees infections at a record level. For three weeks from December 28th, restaurants will have to close at 6:00pm with limited seating. Travellers coming from the EU’s border-free Schengen zone will have to show a negative Covid test.
Omicron, which was first identified in southern Africa last month, has now spread around the globe. Same data suggests Omicron may be more infectious, but there is no evidence yet that it causes more serious illness.
Omicron has been detected in at least 38 of the 53 countries in the World Health Organisations [WHO’s] European region, including Russia and Turkey.
Time to cancel now and celebrate later, rather than celebrate now and grieve later.
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