The Department of Health has today been notified of 5,035 PCR-confirmed cases of COVID-19.
In addition, on Wednesday 16 February, 4,406 people registered a positive antigen test through the HSE portal, giving a total of 9,441 cases of Covid-19.
As of 8am today, 639 COVID-19 patients are hospitalised, of whom 58 are in ICU.
It comes as NPHET is due to meet today over the lifting the mandate on mask-wearing in retail settings, schools and on public transport.
Meanwhile, leading immunologist Professor Luke O'Neill has said that people should continue to wear facemasks on public transport.
The Trinity College immunologist said that because public transport is an enclosed space, it's the "perfect place for the virus to spread".
He said on Newstalk today: "I'd mandate them on public transport for definite.
"We know from other studies years ago: toy mainly catch colds and flus on public transport in winter cause you're crammed in together.
"One reason why flu went down, we think, is less people were on public transport and we were wearing masks. So I'd certainly maintain mask-wearing on public transport.
"Other settings it'll have to become optional - I mean we can't have laws about everything, can we?"
Professor O'Neill said it "makes sense" to delay lifting mask-wearing on public transport until winter has passed.
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