Covid: 35 further deaths notified as hospitalised cases remain over 1,000

There have been 35 further Covid-related deaths in the State over the past week.

Updated figures on the Government's Covid-19 data hub show 1,207 positive PCR results were registered on Wednesday, along with 2,501 positive antigen results.

The latest data brings the State's Covid death toll to 7,571, while a total of 1,628,745 cases have been confirmed since the onset of the pandemic.

As of 8am on Wednesday, there were 1,018 people in hospital with the virus, 45 of whom were receiving treatment in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) around the country.

The figures come amid predictions that mask-wearing could return later this year to combat the spread of the virus.

Hospital consultant Bill Tormey said transmission levels are currently high due to a wave of Omicron subvariant infections. This has caused concern among health officials as viruses generally transmit at a lower rate during the summer months.

Dr Tormey said the re-introduction of face masks could help tackle a further Covid surge in the autumn.

He added that the exact situation in the State is no longer clear due to the reduction in testing.

"We’re only doing a certain number of PCRs and the number of positive PCRs on people who might have Covid has soared up to about 36 per cent or more, and that goes to show you that there’s a lot of Covid in the community," Dr Tormey said.