A further 687 coronavirus cases have been confirmed this evening.
Meanwhile sadly one further Covid-19 related death has been confirmed.
The figures were confirmed by the National Public Health Emergency Team this afternoon.
They come as the phased reopening of schools begin from today.
Over 320,000 primary school and leaving cert students returned to classrooms today as the government aims for a full return in the coming months.
Special schools also moved to full capacity today, having for the past two weeks welcomed just half of pupils on alternate days.
Meanwhile the country is entering a crucial phase of its vaccine rollout with those aged 65 years and older who live in long-term care facilities (group 1), frontline healthcare workers (group 2) and those aged 85 and older living in the community (the first part of group 3) all set to receive jabs this month.
After people aged 85 and older have been vaccinated, the HSE will continue to vaccinate the rest of group 3 at different stages.
Covid-19 vaccination will be offered to the next groups as soon as possible but because supplies of vaccines are limited at the moment, it is not possible to give an exact time for the vaccination of the next groups.
Latest data shows that as of Friday February 26, 426,070 vaccine doses have been given here.
Of those, 285,780 people have received their first dose while 140,290 have been administered their second dose.
