Ireland reports highest daily number of COVID-19 infections since February

Ireland on Thursday registered its highest daily number of COVID-19 infections since February, with the health ministry reporting 994 cases up from an average of under 500 cases per day last week.

Deputy Prime Minister Leo Varadkar earlier on Thursday told journalists that an expected surge in infections from the Delta variant of COVID-19 was happening sooner than expected but that there was "no reason to catastrophize" or to delay the country's cautious reopening plans.