Health

Coronavirus: 1,837 further cases reported in the State

Taoiseach says ‘personal responsibility’ key to manage pandemic after Zappone controversy

People queuing at the walk-in Covid-19 vaccine centre at the National Show Centre in Cloghran, Swords, Co Dublin. Photograph: Alan Betson

Paul Cullen
Brian Hutton
Sun Aug 8 2021 - 16:09

A further 1,837 confirmed cases of Covid-19 have been reported by the Department of Health on Sunday.

At 8am on Sunday, there were 208 patients with the disease in hospital, including 31 in intensive care.

As of Saturday there has been a total of 6,094,737 vaccines administered in the Republic – 3,416,376 first doses and 2,678,361 second doses.

The figures come as Taoiseach Micheál Martin said “personal responsibility” would be a key factor in the coming months in managing the pandemic.

READ MORE

Mr Martin was speaking in the wake of the controversy surrounding a 50-person gathering organised by former minister Katherine Zappone in the grounds of the Merrion Hotel.

In a statement on Sunday, Mr Martin said Tánaiste Leo Varadkar had “expressed his regret at attending the Merrion Hotel outdoor event”.

The Taoiseach said: “While the event did not breach regulations, the Government accepts that further clarity and consistency on guidelines was required”.

Government Chief Whip Jack Chambers said the Government would publish a new roadmap on living with Covid in the next few weeks, and it appreciated the public’s sacrifice over the past few months.

The new roadmap would be less about legal regulations and more focused on personal responsibility, according to Mr Chambers.

A return of the live music and events sector’s would be outlined in this new plan, along with the full reopening of the education sector and indoor sports.

The HSE is operating 43 walk-in vaccination clinics across Ireland again this weekend for anyone aged 16 or older who needs their first dose of a vaccine.

Registration is not required before visiting one of these clinics but people are required to bring their PPS number, phone number, email, Eircode, and photographic ID.

A list of the vaccine centres operating this weekend can be found on the HSE website.

In Northern Ireland, one further death of a patient who had tested positive for Covid-19 has been reported, bringing the total death toll since the start of the pandemic to 2,220.

A further 1,129 people tested positive for the virus in a 24 period to Sunday afternoon, with the overall number of infections detected since the outbreak began rising to 166,064.

Latest figures on hospitalisations, for Friday, showed 226 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of Covid 19, of which 37 are in intensive care.

LATEST STORIES