A further 4,570 COVID cases have been reported this evening.

This morning, there were 622 COVID-19 patients in Irish hospitals – a 25% increase on this day last week.

There were 117 in intensive care – a 50% increase on last week.

The five-day moving average has increased to 4,436.

The COVID-19 five-day moving average. Image: Newstalk

Senior ministers are meeting this evening to discuss the advice NPHET put forward last week – which included a return to working from home where possible and the potential extension in the use of COVID certs.

The Cabinet sub-committee is discussing the recommendations this evening ahead of a full Cabinet meeting tomorrow.

Speaking on his way into the meeting, the Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said the booster campaign is likely to be extended with latest modelling suggesting COVID hospitalisations and intensive care admissions will continue to rise through November.

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly says cases, hospitalisations and ICU admissions will continue rising in the coming weeks #COVID19

Says new NIAC advice has been received on boosters - understood to be for people in their 50s pic.twitter.com/nVtYjmEsiQ

— Stephen Murphy (@StephenMNews) November 15, 2021

This morning, HSE Chief Paul Reid told The Pat Kenny Show the situation in Irish hospitals is now “quite stark” – with around 71 of the patients in intensive care receiving ventilation.

Meanwhile, many of the patients being treated outside of ICU are receiving "enhanced supports" in high-dependency units or on wards.

“Those supports include non-invasive ventilation. That might sound not too bad… but it’s a highly uncomfortable mask strapped quite tightly to a face.

“We are at a really critical level, with well over a third of our ICU beds utilised for COVID positive patients.

"It’s quite a high level of sickness, and quite a high level of stress and duress on our hospital system."

He said around 57% of the patients in ICU are not fully vaccinated – with the vast majority having had no vaccine at all.

Earlier, Professor Sam McConkey told Newstalk Breakfast the vaccine booster programme won't be enough to address the current surge in cases on its own.