A new report has predicted that global Covid cases will continue to rise over the coming months, peaking at around 18.7 million per day in February 2023.
Global cases have reached an estimated 16.7 million per day this month already, according to the University of Washington report.
Although it seems like a huge jump in infections, it is in fact much lower than what was recorded last winter when the Omicron variant was dominant.
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Despite the incoming increase, it is not expected to cause a major increase in deaths.
The university's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) forecasted average deaths to rise from 1,660 to 2,748 by February.
A major factor causing the latest increase in cases is the Omicron subvariant called XBB which is currently causing a surge in Singapore, according to the report.
The University of Washington researchers said the variant is more transmissible but that symptoms showing up are much less severe.
They added that the threat from this new substrain is expected to dwindle away due to the fact that many people have been infected and have recovered from the BA.5 Omicron subvariant, so they are likely to have immunity against XBB.
Meanwhile, The Irish Government has said it has not ruled out the potential need for a reintroduction of certain measures if Covid-19 cases continue to rise.
The winter months are fast approaching and many experts are predicting a new wave of the virus as hospitals brace themselves for an influx of patients presenting with severe symptoms.
The number of people in hospital with Covid has "been edging" up in recent weeks, according to the HSE's Chief Clinical Officer Dr. Colm Henry, however, he said that at this point there is no sign of a surge.
Should the situation deteriorate, it is understood that mandatory mask-wearing on public transport and in healthcare settings would be re-instated.
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