DUBLIN: The Irish Department of Health has recorded 5,124 new confirmed Covid-19 cases, with the Omicron variant accounting for around 52 percent of these.

"Omicron has become the prevalent strain of Covid-19 in Ireland in less than two weeks, indicating exactly how transmissible this virus is," said Tony Holohan, the department's chief medical officer, in a statement on Sunday, according to a source.

"It is essential crucial we do everything we can to flatten the curve of this wave immediately to prevent unnecessary fatalities, risk to the vulnerable, and to safeguard our health care," he said. People aged 40 to 49 in Ireland are now eligible for a booster vaccine, which will begin on Sunday. Long lines were reported in numerous vaccination centers across the country, according to local media.According to the Irish health authority, the Irish government had planned to start inoculating persons in this age group with the booster vaccination on December 27, but instead chose to vaccinate as many people as possible before the Christmas and New Year vacations.

Eamon Ryan, the Irish government's minister for the environment, climate and communications, as well as the Green Party's leader, tested positive for Covid-19 on Sunday, according to a statement released by the Irish government "At home, he isolates himself.

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