A total of 764 more people have tested positive for coronavirus in Ireland, while four more deaths have been confirmed.
It brings the number of infections here to 79,542 since the pandemic began.
The latest figures were announced by the Department of Health this evening.
A total of 284 of the new cases were in Dublin, with 70 in Limerick, 52 in Donegal, 44 in Cork, 37 in Wexford and the remaining 277 cases are spread across another 20 counties.
Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan issued a stark warning after the huge spike in cases.
He said: “Every indicator of disease severity is moving in the wrong direction, more rapidly than we had anticipated. We have particularly strong concerns about the prospect of inter-generational mixing around the festive season. On 11th December the 7-day incidence rate for people aged 19-44 was 106 per 100,000 population, by yesterday this rate had more than doubled to 217 per 100,000. If these younger people come into contact with their loved ones over the age of 65, we could see a spike in infections in this more vulnerable group. This would lead to very a serious pattern of disease, hospitalisations, ICU admissions and unnecessary deaths.
“If you have been socialising in the past few weeks or over this weekend, consider your Christmas plans carefully. Is it responsible to meet with your family over 65 later this week, if you have not kept your contacts low? Should you cancel your plans? We have the very real prospect of COVID-19 vaccines on the horizon. Ensure that your loved ones stay alive to receive them, by keeping your distance from them if you have not restricted your movements to this point. As difficult as it may seem, staying away from older family this Christmas will protect them - and it would be an exceptional sacrifice made for the common good.”
It comes after gardai labelled a gathering of up to 800 people at a "car meet" in Cork as "disgraceful".
Officers were called to the Little Island area of the county on Saturday night with more than 250 vehicles and between 750 and 800 people gathered.
Gardai arrested one person at the scene for "drunkenness offences" while the gathering was broken up and people were told to go home.
A garda spokesperson said: "There was very little evidence of social distancing, wearing of face coverings or general compliance with public health guidelines.
"Ages of participants included older males in their 30s/40s, some accompanied by young children, but mainly males and females in their 20s. Participants had travelled from outside the greater Cork area and various parts of Munster."
Speaking last night the Senior Garda Inspector at the event described "a disgraceful gathering of persons, despite the Health advices in the last few days".
A Garda spokesperson added: "Gardaí immediately engaged with this large group and advised them to disperse, a direction which was complied with by all in attendance within a short period of time.
"There were no public order incidents and sufficient Gardaí attended the scene to effectively disperse the gathering.
"One male, aged in his late 20s, was arrested for drunkenness offences, later charged and bailed to appear in court at a later date, and one car was seized under section 41 Road Traffic Act."
