The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has today been notified of 6,307 confirmed cases of Covid-19.
As of 11.30 am this morning, 429 people are in hospital with the virus, a drop of 14 since yesterday, while 100 people are in the ICU - the lowest daily figure since the middle of November.
There has been a total of 5,890 deaths related to Covid-19 notified in Ireland. This includes 55 deaths newly notified in the past week (since last Wednesday).
The incidence of Covid-19 in Ireland remains high as the country battles a surge in Omicron cases.
The variant is now dominant here, with around two-thirds of all infections now due to the latest strain.
Restrictions aimed at reducing transmission of the virus came into effect on Monday, with further measures not being ruled out in the new year.
The 14-day incidence rate of Covid per 100,000 of the population now stands at 1,346.
New data from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre this week shows the counties that recorded the highest incidence rates of the virus per 100,000 of the population over the past fortnight.
Given that Omicron now accounts for 66% of all positive cases, it is expected that many infections in counties nationwide can be attributed to the new strain.
Dublin is in the top spot, according to the latest HPSC data for the fortnight between December 7 and December 20.
The county has an incidence rate of 1702 per 100,000 of the population.
Making up the top three Covid hotspots are Westmeath (1581) and Louth (1509).
The rest of the regions in the top ten worst-hit areas are: Kilkenny (1499), Kildare (1498), Carlow (1377), Cork (1359), Laois (1359), Meath (1341) and Tipperary (1299).
These are followed by: Waterford (1298), Offaly (1149), Leitrim (1142), Longford (1118), Kerry (1117), Galway (1108), Clare (1081), Wicklow (1074), Limerick (1049), Monaghan (1041), and Wexford (953).
