Health

Likely rise in Covid cases and hospitalisations as new immune-evasive variant spreads, CMO warns

Anticipated resurgence of coronavirus placing extra strain on health service struggling with record RSV wave and invasive cases of strep A

Chief medical officer Prof Breda Smyth said 320 cases of the BQ.1 Covid variants and its sub-lineages have been detected in Ireland through genome sequencing, and the proportion of BQ.1 cases is increasing. Photograph: Gareth Chaney/Collins Photos
Chief medical officer Prof Breda Smyth said 320 cases of the BQ.1 Covid variants and its sub-lineages have been detected in Ireland through genome sequencing, and the proportion of BQ.1 cases is increasing. Photograph: Gareth Chaney/Collins Photos
Paul Cullen
Thu Dec 08 2022 - 16:43
Paul Cullen

Paul Cullen

Paul Cullen is a former heath editor of The Irish Times.