The Department of Health has this evening been notified of 3,887 confirmed cases of COVID-19.
As of 8am today, 493 COVID-19 patients are hospitalised, of which 109 are in ICU.
Dr. Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health said: “Results today suggest that approximately 14% of our cases are due to the Omicron variant.
“In line with the experience of many other countries, we can expect this proportion to rise rapidly over the coming days.
“The goal now is to limit the spread of COVID-19 through our tried and tested preventive measures. These measures can protect us and our families and will allow time for the booster vaccination programme to take effect.
"This means that as we move closer to Christmas, we must try to reduce the number of people we meet, avoid crowds and work from home unless it is essential to attend in person.
"I encourage anyone eligible for a booster vaccination to take that opportunity. Boosters are proven to be effective in restoring protection against all variants of COVID-19.”
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