There has been a rise in the number of people hospitalised with Covid-19, according to latest data from this morning. As of 8am, there were 578 patients being treated in hospital for the virus, which is up 12 on the same time yesterday.
Today's figure compares to 685 people hospitalised with Covid-19 on this day last week. It comes as the Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly said "it is likely" that the new Covid variant is in Ireland.
The Department of Health was notified yesterday of 3,735 confirmed new cases of Covid-19, and 117 patients with the virus in intensive care.
In Northern Ireland, a further four deaths of patients who had previously tested positive for Covid-19 have been reported today.