Chief Medical Officer warns that Ireland is on the cusp of a fourth wave of Covid

The Chief Medical Officer has warned that Ireland is on the cusp of a fourth wave of Covid-19, driven by the delta variant.

The variant now accounts for more than half of cases in the country, up from less than 30 per cent in the space of a week.

NPHET is particularly concerned about the rate of growth in areas such as Dublin, Donegal, Sligo and Waterford.

It says cases are mainly being seen in unvaccinated and partially vaccinated people.

Professor of Immunology at DCU Christine Loscher says the delta variant is stronger than previous strains.