An additional 452 new cases of Covid-19 were confirmed this evening by the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet).
They said there are currently 14 people in the intensive care unit with Covid and another 44 people in hospital with the virus.
As always, they said the daily case numbers may change due to the data being reviewed, validated and updated in the future.
As of midnight on Tuesday, June 29, we have reported 452*confirmed cases from #covid19.
14 in the intensive care unit. 44 in hospital.
* Daily case numbers may change due to data review, validation and update in the future.
– Department of Health (roinnslainte) June 30, 2021
It comes as Tánaiste Leo Varadkar has suggested the possibility of accrediting the Covid digital travel certificate for indoor dining.
Mr Varadkar noted that the government had made a decision months ago not to go the vaccination passport route, but now they would have to see if the DTC mechanism could be adapted inward. «This might be the way to do it.»
Varadkar said the digital certificate of vaccination, or «coronavirus pass», means «the possibility of not having to shut down again».
Speaking at Newstalk Breakfast, Mr Varadkar said the «pause» until July 19 meant there were now three weeks to develop plans for a «Corona pass» which could pave the way for indoor hospitality, indoor sports and live events even if there is a «delta wave».
«That’s one of the things that may not have been fully understood about the decision and advice from yesterday. The first option is not to reopen indoors until we have herd immunity – and who really knows when that will be. We wish it was September, but maybe not.»
delta variable
Meanwhile, a senior member of the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) explained the group’s «reasons for concern» about the delta variant of Covid-19.
Medical virologist Dr Cillian de Gascon was speaking after the government accepted Nphet’s advice to delay the return of indoor food and limit it to those who have been fully vaccinated.
Dr. de Gascon, director of the UCLA National Virology Reference Laboratory, did not directly refer to the controversy over the decision, but did post a long thread on Twitter about the risks posed by the delta variant.
This massive increase in delta over the past two weeks will almost certainly result in delta dominance by mid-July, with consequent increases in case numbers, hospitalizations, and deaths in the following weeks 12/n
– CillianDeGascun June 29, 2021
He said, «As any new variant emerges, there are three main issues we keep in mind: transmissibility. Severity of infection, impact on pre-existing immunity (risk of reinfection) and vaccine efficacy.
«First, based on the available evidence, the delta variant appears to be 40 percent to 60 percent more transmissible than the alpha variant, which has been prevalent in Ireland over the past five months.»
«When compared to alpha, delta shows an increased growth rate, an increased secondary attack rate, increased home transmission, and laboratory evidence of increased reproduction in the biological systems that make up the human airway,» he added.