Twenty-two percent of people tested for Covid-19 are positive as cases are rising, an immunology expert has said.

rofessor of Experimental Immunology at Trinity College Dublin Kingston Mills, said the fact that people are back to normal has contributed to a rise in cases.

"The number of cases has risen here, but its not just in Ireland.In the UK, Portugal and Germany, there has been a risein the past couple of weeks, he said on RT Radio 1s This Week.

"This is really on the back of the variants BA.4, BA.5, theseare sub-variants of Omicron, which are distinct from the original Omicron, they have mutated further. They are moretransmissible.

Mr Mills also pointed to the fact that people are now back to normal, and there's no social distancing, no mask-wearing.

There is a lot of contact,a lot of hospitality, so all of that is contributing to the rising case numbers.

He pointed out that the numbers in hospital are rising, so that does suggest that the case numbers are rising.

As of 8am, there were 397 people in hospital with Covid-19, this is an increase of 37 from yesterdays statistics.

The positivity rate of those that are tested has gone up from16 to 22pc, ProfMills said.

"So 22pc of all people that are tested are turning out to be positive, andthats an indication that we are getting an increase in the number of cases, as well as the number ofhospitalisations.

Omicron and its sub-variants largely infect theupper respiratory tract and they dont go as much into the lung, unless somebody has an underlying lung condition.

Prof Mills said that for a normal, healthy person this is not a very serious disease, but for people who are older, or people with underlying medical conditions or on some immunotherapy that might make their immune system suppressed, it is still a concern.

And these are the ones that are vulnerable now. It's important that if they havent been vaccinated with a fourth dose, or have recently had Covid, they should get a booster vaccine."

Prof Mills saidhe knew of a lot of older people, and people with underlying health conditions who havent yet had Covid who are still worried about getting it, because they feel that they may end up in hospital if they do get it and that is a big concern.

"And that is the big worry in this with increasing case numbers, it isinevitable that some will end up in hospital.

For the normal healthy person, its not a big deal getting this infection, in fact getting the infection now, especially if youve had the vaccine, three doses of the vaccine, will add to your immunity and probably prevent you from getting re-infected at this stage.

But the trouble is, even getting infected with the original Omicron is not now having as much protection against reinfection with B.A4 and B.A5 and thats the worry about this virus, it keeps changing and if it changes again, that will make it even more difficult for the vaccines to work.But the good news is the vaccines do prevent severe disease."

Prof Mills said those who have had their vaccine doses are in a better place than those who have not been vaccinated.

There is a lot of concern for those who are not vaccinated in the older age group or with underlying medical conditions, he said.

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22pc of people tested for Covid-19 are positive as a 'return to normal' sees cases rise - Independent.ie