The figure rose to 162 yesterday, after 32 new admissions in 24 hours, with only 78 in hospital with the virus on July 17th.
The number in intensive care has risen from 22 to 26 in the same timeframe.
Dr Eoghan De Barra, an infectious diseases consultant in Beaumont Hospital, predicts a further rise in the hospital figure:
"Yes, it's likely to continue and probably increase. What's also important to note is that the rate of discharge is nearly matching it or lagging slightly behind so you know that the average length of stay for somebody with COVID in the past was somewhere around 14 days and more laterally, it's been about seven. So we tend to see younger people coming to hospital, and having a shorter length of stay in hospital, so there are positives but it will mean more pressure on health systems."
