Three Covid outbreaks linked to overseas flights, with two involving 'variants of concern'

The Department of Health says vaccinated people still need to enter mandatory hotel quarantine when they arrive here.

The Department says three Covid-19 outbreaks in the past fortnight have been linked to overseas flights - two of these outbreaks involve possible 'variant of concern' cases which remain under investigation.

There is some evidence people who have been vaccinated have been diagnosed with COVID-19 involving one of these variant of concern. 

Meanwhile, the Health Minister confirmed last night that Albania, Israel and St. Lucia have been taken off the travel list.

Stephen Donnelly says a small number of people who've arrived here from these 3 states in recent days, can leave mandatory hotel quarantine as soon as they want.

From 4am on Thursday the US and Canada, as well as a number of EU countries including France, Belgium and Italy will be added to the mandatory hotel quarantine list.