Health officials have confirmed that 1,751 new cases of Covid-19 have been recorded in the last 24 hours.
343 people are now struggling in hospital with the deadly virus, 59 of whom are requiring assistance in the intensive care unit.
The numbers were confirmed in a press statement this evening.
Meanwhile, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly has said he “hoped” there would be no return to lockdowns but has said the next stages of the pandemic were unpredictable.
Minister Donnelly was speaking after Taoiseach Micheál Martin announced that all Covid-19 restrictions will be lifted by October 22 - except the wearing of face masks.
Minister Donnelly said there is no specific measure or statistic that would cause the Government to pause or reverse the easing of restrictions.
He said he hoped there would be no return to lockdowns - but acknowledged that the next stages of the pandemic were unpredictable.
He said: “There’s one thing we know about this virus though.
“It has torn up global plans many times.
“The two big concerns I have are the rates on the variant we’re dealing with right now and I’m particularly conscious of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland now.
“And secondly, a new variant and because of that it’s impossible to be 100% certain.”
