Hospitals under 'huge stress' due to rising Covid patient numbers

Hospitals across the country are under "huge stress" due to large numbers of Covid-19 patients requiring hospital treatment, the HSE chief has confirmed.

Latest figures show that there are 1,625 Covid positive patients in hospital now.

HSE director general Paul Reid said on social media that the rise in hospital numbers "is causing huge stress on the healthcare system".

"We need to turn this tide again ASAP and repeat doing the basics," he urged. 

"Please wear your mask appropriately, come forward for your booster or primary vaccine and isolate if you have symptoms," he said.

There were 157 new cases of Covid-19 confirmed in hospitals in the past 24 hours. 

However, while hospital numbers have increased significantly, the numbers in ICU remain low. 

Latest figures show there were just 56 patients requiring intensive care treatment in the last 24 hours.