Dublin has seen one of the biggest spikes in cases as health officials announced 1,283 COVID-19 infections in Ireland.
The capital saw a shocking 408 cases recorded over the last 24 hours.
This was followed by 156 in Cork, 88 in Kildare, 80 in Meath, 55 in Limerick, and the remaining 496 cases are spread across 21 counties.
There are now a total of 49,962 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ireland.
Sadly a further three people have lost their lives to the virus as there have been a total of 1,852 COVID-19 related deaths in Ireland.
Of the cases notified today;
- 651 are women / 628 are men
- 68% are under 45 years of age
- The median age is 31 years old
As of 2pm today 277 COVID-19 patients are hospitalised, of which 33 are in ICU. 17 additional hospitalisations in the past 24 hours.
Simon Harris has confirmed that Ireland will be moved to a higher level of coronavirus restrictions after Cabinet meets tomorrow.
The Minister for Further and Higher Education said current measures - which see Dublin at Level 3 of the five level framework - are not working as cases of the deadly virus continue to soar across the country.
The former Health Minister said county by county restrictions measures were also not effective but the Government would balance any new measures "with our honest view on what people can bear or sustain".
“The Government will act tomorrow," he told RTE's The Week In Politics.
"Action will be decisive and it will be right across the country."
The National Public Health Emergency Team last week advised Government to move to a full lockdown for six weeks in an attempt to stem the rampant spread of the virus.
Taoiseach Micheal Martin, Tanaiste Leo Varadkar, Green Party leader Eamon Ryan, Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe, Minister for Public Expenditure Finian McGrath and Health Minister Stephen Donnelly met with NPHET members Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan, Deputy CMO Dr Ronan Glynn, and Professor Philip Nolan yesterday to discuss their recommendations.
