The number of people with Covid-19 in hospital has risen to more than 1,000 for the first time since April. As of 8am, there were 1,055 patients with the virus in hospital - an increase of 68 on the same time yesterday.
Of these, 38 people are in intensive care units with the virus. The last time hospital numbers rose above 1,000 was on 12 April when 1,004 people with Covid-19 were in hospitals around the country.
The HSE has said that Covid-19 cases should peak over next week or so and reduce but that there will be time lag before the situation in hospitals eases.
It comes as European Union health agencies said they were recommending a second Covid-19 booster for everyone above 60 amid a new spike in infections and hospitalisations across Europe. "With cases and hospitalisations rising again as we enter the summer period, I urge everybody to get vaccinated and boosted as quickly as possible.