Dr Tony Holohan has warned about the "worrying scene" he witnessed on his visit to a Dublin hospital on Tuesday.
The Chief Medical Officer was undergoing non-Covid-19 related tests after becoming unwell during a briefing when he noticed the empty waiting rooms.
Dr Holohan stressed that while it is important to avoid getting coronavirus, people should not risk leaving other health concerns unchecked.
The CMO said: “I would also like to highlight a worrying scene I witnessed during my visit to hospital on Tuesday evening; empty waiting rooms and empty beds.
"While protecting yourself from COVID-19 is a priority, no one should ignore signs that they may need medical attention for other ailments such as lumps, chest pain or other concerns.
"Please do not ignore any symptom outside of COVID-19. The hospitals are there for all ailments, not just COVID-19.”
The number of virus related deaths in the Republic now stands at 98.
A total of 3,849 people in Ireland have tested positive for the bug since the outbreak began.
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