Ireland needs to move to an explicit strategy to eliminate the coronavirus, according to one public health expert.
It comes after 200 new cases of the coronavirus were reported here on Saturday - the largest number of cases in a single day since the beginning of May.
Professor Ivan Perry is the dean of public health in the School of Public Health at UCC.
He is also a member of the Zero Covid Island Group, that wants tougher measures to get on top of the virus.
He told Newstalk Breakfast: "It's clear even from what we're seeing within the last two weeks, we would have expected during the weeks of August to have a relatively low number of cases.
"But of course as we've seen there's already signs of a significant surge with 200 new cases yesterday.
"And as we move into the autumn and the winter, it is going to be much harder to sustain the current policy of containing the virus.
"That's why the Zero COVID Island Group are pushing for an explicit strategy that we seek to eliminate the virus".
He said a strategy is needed to eliminate the virus, rather than just containment.
"It's clear that [with] the policy of containment, we're always going to be a week or 10 days behind the virus.
"So I suppose what we're suggesting, and no one can be absolutely certain what is the right thing to do here, and we have acknowledge the tremendous leadership of the Government and NPHET.
"So really what we're suggesting is a change in strategy - and there are three core elements there."
This would see intensifying efforts in testing and tracing, as well as a stricter lockdown for a shorter period of time.
On a similar approach taken by New Zealand, Prof Perry added: "New Zealand was COVID free for over 100 days, life had returned to normal with normal social gatherings - rugby matches and so on.
"They've had an outbreak now in Auckland, but they will get on top of that outbreak and are highly likely to be COVID free within the next few weeks".
Meanwhile the Acting Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn has asked everyone to limit their contacts and keep your distance from other people.
He said this is especially necessary for those who are aged over 70 or medically vulnerable.
Of the cases notified on Saturday:
- 103 are men / 96 are women
- 68% are under 45 years of age
- 68 are confirmed to be associated with outbreaks or are close contacts of a confirmed case
- 25 cases have been identified as community transmission
Some 56 are in Dublin, 81 in Kildare, 13 in Tipperary, eight in Limerick, six Laois, six in Galway, five in Kilkenny and five in Meath.
The rest of the 20 cases are in Carlow, Clare, Cork, Donegal, Louth, Mayo, Offaly, Roscommon, Waterford, Wicklow.
On Friday, Dr Glynn said: "This is the largest number of cases in a single day since the beginning of May.
"We now have multiple clusters with secondary spread of disease and rising numbers of cases in many parts of the country.
"This is deeply concerning.
"NPHET will monitor this extremely closely over the coming days."
He added: "This virus is still out there and has not gone away.
"COVID-19 seeks to capitalise on complacency and is just waiting for the opportunity to spread.
"I am asking everyone, especially those who are over 70 or medically vulnerable, to limit your contacts, keep your distance from other people and take extra care to heed public health advice."
