DUBLIN, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- The Irish government on Tuesday announced a number of new measures aimed at curbing the surging cases of COVID-19 in the country.
The new measures include restricting the movement of close contacts of COVID-19 until they have three negative antigen test results within five days even if the close contacts are fully vaccinated and showing no symptoms.
This measure will take effect immediately, said a statement on the Irish government's website.
Other measures, which will take effect from midnight of Thursday, include asking people to revert to working from home unless it is absolutely necessary to attend the workplace in person, demanding COVID-19 passes for cinemas and theatres, and ordering bars, restaurants and nightclubs to close business before midnight, said the statement.
The government has also decided to extend the on-going vaccine booster program to those aged 50 to 59 and to those aged 16 to 59 with underlying conditions, it said.
Currently the booster vaccine program in Ireland is only available for people aged over 60, residents in long-term care facilities, the immunocompromised, and healthcare workers.
The new measures announced by the Irish government came at a time when Ireland witnessed a sharp surge in COVID-19 cases following its relaxation of restrictions on Oct. 22.
The Irish Department of Health on Tuesday reported a total of 4,407 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, one of the highest daily figures since the pandemic.
As of Tuesday morning, 614 COVID-19 patients are hospitalized, of whom 114 are in intensive cares units (ICU), said the department in a statement.
On Monday, a senior official from the Health Service Executive (HSE), a top state agency responsible for the public health service in Ireland, said that the country's hospital system is reaching full capacity due to surging COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and ICU admissions.
Only 94 beds were available in hospitals across the country, said HSE's chief operations officer Anne O'Connor.
According to the data recently revealed by the HSE, there are only 206 ICU beds in Ireland's public hospitals.
Earlier on Tuesday, Irish Health Minister Stephen Donnelly told local media that rising COVID-19 numbers could mean that up to 500 people would require ICU care in December.
The Irish government on Monday announced a Winter Preparedness Plan, under which it intends to add over 200 hospital beds by the end of next March in order to alleviate the pressure that the COVID-19 pandemic has placed on the country's hospital system. Enditem
