Ireland tightens lockdown as COVID-19 'tsunami' threatens hospitals

FILE PHOTO: An empty city centre shopping streets is seen after the government imposed the highest level of restrictions amid the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Galway, Ireland, January 1, 2021. REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Ireland announced its strictest lockdown measures since early last year on Wednesday as a "tsunami" of infections caused by a new COVID-19 variant pushed hospitalisations to a record high and sparked fears the healthcare system could be overwhelmed.

Ireland's 14-day infection rate has quadrupled in the past 10 days to 819 cases per 100,000, fueled by a new more transmissible COVID-19 variant first identified in Britain and the relaxation of restrictions ahead of Christmas.