Director of Critical Care Medicine at the Mater Hospital Dr Coleman O'Loughlin has said that the hospital's ICU is now at full capacity.
The Director admitted that most of the patients in the 18 bed ICU are those suffering from COVID-19.
Those patients, who have been ventilated, have been moved to the high dependency unit for further care.
Speaking to Morning Ireland, Dr O'Loughlin, also President of Intensive Care Society of Ireland, said he is already getting referrals from wards this morning and added that some patients are beginning to deteriorate.
He said that the hospital was lucky in the fact that it had built up a number of surge plans and that an extra 18 beds can be added in the high dependency unit which is located beside the ICU.
Speaking directly after on Morning Ireland, Minister Harris described the announcement as "sobering news"
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