Delta is now the dominant coronavirus variant in Ireland and is most prevalent in younger people, with almost half of cases in those aged 19-34.
Yesterday, Taoiseach Micheál Martin summed up the situation by saying that Ireland is in a race between the Delta variant and vaccines.
Professor in Immunology at Trinity College Dublin Derek Doherty says this is primarily because the 19-34 age group has not yet been vaccinated and that younger people are "possibly more inclined to socialise and get into close contact with each other. "The big risk is that they are becoming infected, which slows down the whole pace of the race against the virus with the vaccine," Prof Doherty added.