PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS have confirmed 2,074 new cases of Covid-19 in Ireland.

As of midnight, 229 patients are in hospital with Covid-19, including 43 in ICU, according to the Department of Health.

Yesterday, there were 1,978 cases, 221 in hospital and 37 in ICU.

Deaths are being announced weekly – 15 deaths were confirmed on 11 August, and the total number to date is 5,059.

The vaccination of children aged 12-15 is commenced from this weekend after the HSE’s registrtion portal opened on Thursday.

As of yesterday morning, 65,000 children in that age group had registered on the HSE online portal with vaccinations set to begin this weekend.

“Many of those who have registered on Thursday will have already received appointments for throughout this weekend, we’re very happy to say that,” HSE CEO Paul Reid said yesterday.

The National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) is recommending to parents of children with underlying conditions that they avail of a Covid-19 vaccine as soon as possible but also say that all parents should equally consider vaccinating their children.

NIAC has said that Covid-19 is most often a mild disease in children but that some will suffer from severe disease.