COVID-19 hospitalizations in Ireland up by a third

DUBLIN, June 20 (Xinhua) -- Ireland's health authorities said as of 8 a.m. on Monday, there were 606 COVID-19 patients in hospitals across the country, an increase of 153 people, or 33.77 percent, compared with a week ago, putting increased pressure on hospitals.

Colm Henry, Chief Clinical Officer of the Health Service Executive (HSE), a state agency responsible for public health services, told local media on Monday that the rise in the number of COVID-19 people in hospitals is largely driven by a sub-type of the Omicron variant and over 70 percent of the confirmed cases now in Ireland is caused by this sub-type.