The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has today been notified of 5,265 PCR-confirmed cases of COVID-19.
In addition, on Wednesday 26 January, 4,673 people registered a positive antigen test through the HSE portal.
As of 8am today, 708 COVID-19 patients are hospitalised, of which 71 are in ICU.
The new case numbers come as the EU's drug regulator has given the green light to Pfizer's Covid-19 antiviral pill Paxlovid to be used on adults at risk of serious illness.
Member states can now deploy the drug with a number of countries that have already bought Paxlovid, including Germany and Italy.
Plaxovid is currently being developed at Pfizer's Irish plants in Ringaskiddy and Newbridge.
The antiviral drug is made up of two pills, nirmatrelvir and ritonavir.
A person will take two 150mg pills of nitmatrelvir and one 100mg tablet of ritonavir twice a day for five consecutive days.
Trial results show from over 2,200 high-risk adults with at least one underlying health condition show that Paxlovid reduced the chances of them needing hospital treatment by 89%, and reduced the viral load in their bodies by 90%.
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