There have been 34 new Covid-19 cases in Cork in the past 24 hours.

Now health experts are warning that the level of infection is deteriorating day on day, with Chief Medical Officer Tony Holohan saying the latest data “adds further evidence that the situation is getting worse more rapidly than we expected.”

A further 582 new cases of the virus were reported across the country yesterday, with six additional deaths from the disease. A total of 198 patients are hospitalised, of which 34 are in ICU.

Appealing to the public to help protect older and vulnerable people as we head into Christmas week, Dr Holohan said the country “simply cannot cope with this level of infection”.

“With vaccines offering hope in the coming months for our most vulnerable groups, we want to keep them alive and well so that they can receive it,” he said.

“Each one of us must do all we can to protect public health – cut your contacts, see only those you need to see. Choose to socialise safely, outdoors if possible. If you see a crowd, avoid it.

“By choosing to act safely right now, together we can limit the impact this disease will have in the weeks and months to come – and in doing so, we can protect the vulnerable and prevent unnecessary deaths.”