Another 438 new cases of Covid-19 have been reported today by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC).

A total of 116 Covid-19 patients are in hospital, of whom 43 are in intensive care units, as the public were urged to keep taking precautions even as reopening plans progressed

The figures come as Chief Medical Officer, Dr Tony Holohan said on Friday that the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) is closely monitoring variants of concern, and are concerned about possible higher transmissibility of the so-called ‘Indian’ variant and its spread in other countries.

He said the variant was the “black cloud on the horizon”, with 72 cases of the variant already identified in Ireland. Health chiefs are worried that it may be more transmissible than the British B117 variant.

Nphet will meet next week to consider the easing of restrictions over the month of June.