Covid cases Ireland: Worst-hit groups as Delta variant surges and Dr Tony Holohan issues appeal

There has been a significant rise in the number of people infected with Covid-19, with 783 additional cases confirmed by NPHET.

There has been very little detail in the last number of weeks outlining the percentage of age groups that have recently been infected with the virus due to the cyber attack on the Department of Health and the HSE.

But on Wednesday night, Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn provided a breakdown of the 7,468 cases recorded in the previous 14 days.

He told the Irish Mirror the following:

• Under 5% of cases are associated with children aged 0-4 years
• 10% of cases are associated with children aged 5-12 years
• 15% of cases are associated 13-18 years olds
• 24% of cases are associated with 19-24 year olds
• 20% of cases are associated with 25-34 year olds
• 13% of cases associated with 35-44 year olds
• 7% of cases associated with 45-54 year olds
• 5-6% associated with remaining age groups.

Dr Glynn added that the median age associated with the 7,468 cases in the last two weeks is 23 years old.

Grafton Street in Dublin. (Stephen Collins/Collins Photos)

The NPHET briefing heard tonight of a rise of incidence in younger age groups particularly 19-24 year olds.

Chair of NPHET's modelling, Prof Philip Nolan said there is a need for "caution over the next number of weeks, until such time as a substantial majority of the adult population are fully vaccinated."

He said the growth in incidence of the disease is "very much a feature of unvaccinated cohorts."

Dr Tony Holohan said young people continue to suffer a "great burden" while awaiting vaccinations.

However, he added it is important to "exercise caution" in all social situations.

Dr Holohan said that those who are not vaccinated must be "very cautious" and urged them to avoid indoor activities.

He said: "At the very minimum try to differentiate for yourself those activities that are high risk.

"Your vaccine is not far away.

"We need to keep this up for another period of time that will take us into September then we will look at whether these arrangements need to be maintained.

"But until then, and it's not a very long time, except that it is if you’re one of those people who are waiting for a vaccine and you’re frustrated, but keep your activities to low-risk activities if you’re waiting for a vaccine."