The Chief Medical Officer says the Indian variant of Covid is likely to be even more more transmissible than the UK strain.
It comes as a further 524 cases of Covid 19 have been reported here today, with 107 patients in hospital, 38 of which are in ICU.
The UK strain is the dominant version of the virus in Ireland and is thought to have contributed to the spike in cases around the new year.
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Dr Tony Holohan says officials are seriously worried the Indian strain could spread even quicker.
