Covid: Indian variant the "black cloud on the horizon" says CMO

The CMO says the Indian variant is a "black cloud on the horizon".

There have been 72 cases of the Covid strain recorded in Ireland so far, up from 59 earlier in the week.

Officials say there has not been any community transmission yet.

But Dr Tony Holohan says the strain is the most worrying since the UK variant:

Nationally, 524 new cases of Covid 19 have been confirmed.

107 patients are being treated for the disease in hospital of which 38 are in ICU.

Meanwhile, 84 people have tested positive for covid 19 in Northern Ireland in the last 24 hours.

There have been no additional covid related deaths.

34 people are being treated for the disease in hospital in Northern Ireland, with 2 in ICU.