There are 1,837 new confirmed cases of Covid-19.
It's the highest daily figure since the middle of January.
The number of people in hospital with Covid-19 has passed the 200 mark for the first time in almost four months.
208 people with the virus are being treated in hospital - up 10 from yesterday.
There are 31 patients in ICU - down two.
The head of the HSE says 5,000 people attended walk-in Covid vaccination centres yesterday.
The walk-in clinics continue today in over 20 locations.
They're open to people aged over 16 who have yet to receive their first dose.
Our walk in vaccination centres continue today. So far this weekend another 5,000 people have availed of them to receive their first vaccination. Now over 89% of adults are partially vaccinated and over 77% fully. We're getting there. @HSELive — Paul Reid (@paulreiddublin) August 8, 2021
New variants of Covid-19 may no longer be named after the Greek alphabet, but star constellations instead.
So far, 11 mutations have been given names including Delta, Beta and Alpha.
But the WHO's Covid technical lead has told the Telegraph it's "possible" new variants could emerge which evade vaccines, and they may run out of the letters of the Greek alphabet.
