The number of daily Covid 19 cases is likely to hit 7,000 in the coming days.
The head of the HSE says non-urgent healthcare in hospitals is going to be cancelled as a result.
The CEO of the HSE Paul Reid says the number of daily Covid 19 cases here is frightening and likely to hit 7,000 within days.
744 people are in hospital with the virus at present - its rising at a rate of almost 20 per cent per day and could hit 2,500.
ICU numbers could reach anywhere from 250 up to 430 if the current trends continue.
As a result of ongoing pressures in hospitals, people who have non-urgent appointments are likely to see them cancelled from this week.
Paul Reid says they have to curb the spread of Covid.
Around 3,000 healthcare workers are off work at present as they either have covid or have been deemed a close contact.
People who are close contacts aren’t being tested now because of the demands in the systems and there are warnings only vulnerable groups could soon be tested if the system becomes overwhelmed.
