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Dublin Live
Dublin Live
National
Amy Donohoe

Covid-19 Ireland updates: 9,218 new cases confirmed with 824 in hospital

The Department of Health has confirmed 4,006 Covid positive PCR tests.

In addition, on Sunday 23 January, 5,212 people registered a positive antigen test through the HSE portal.

As of 8am today, 824 COVID-19 patients are hospitalised, of whom 79 are in ICU.

Meanwhile, there has been a jump in the number of cases of this sister subtype of the Omicron virus, particularly in India and Denmark.

But Professor Luke O'Neill said Ireland has "nothing to worry about" following the emergence of a new Omicron sub-variant.

He told Claire Byrne: "That’s nothing to worry about. It’s even more transmissible which is good and yet again it’s not causing severe disease.

"It’s a sibling of Omicron if you like. And it’s a really good one in a way.

"That’ll spread throughout the world and give us even more protection."

Professor O'Neill said people who contract this new sister subtype after getting the Covid-19 vaccine will get extra protection "like having a double booster".

"But we wouldn’t encourage people to get infected because there can be negative consequences,” he added.

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