Ireland has tragically recorded another 28 deaths related to Covid-19.
Meanwhile, 3,955 new cases were also confirmed by the Department of Health on Thursday.
This brings the total number of cases to 163,057, while the death toll now stands at 2,488.
Of those diagnosed, 2,115 were women and 1,826 were men, while 54% were under the age of 45.
The average age of those infected was 42.
Dublin again saw the highest number of new cases with 1,826, followed by Cork (456), Louth (235) and Meath (221).
As of 2pm, there were 1,789 Covid-19 patients being treated in hospitals nationwide.
A staggering 169 people were in intensive care units.
The latest figures were released during a press briefing by the National Public Health Emergency Team, chaired by Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan.
The worrying news comes just hours after Tanaiste Leo Varadkar warned that the situation in Irish hospitals was "continuing to deteriorate".
Mr Varadkar told the Dail that the next two weeks will be very dangerous for our healthcare system, but that the Government hopes admission numbers will begin to drop soon.
He added that people must continue to adhere to public health rules in a bid to drive the number of Covid-19 cases down.
Meanwhile, grim images from inside University Hospital Limerick portrayed the worsening Covid crises nationwide.
Staff are "completely overwhelmed" at the facility, which had the highest number of coronavirus patients in the country on Thursday at 142.
Three critical care beds were available at the facility as 12 seriously ill Covid patients were being treated at the 28-bed Critical Care Unit.
There were five general beds available at the Limerick hospital, according to latest figures published by the HSE.
UHL has been asked for comment on claims by informed sources that some patients in the Limerick ED were “waiting over 100 hours for a bed”.
“The last two weeks it has gone ballistic with the number of Covid patients coming in. We are down staff and there are areas of the hospital full of Covid patients,” said the source.
“We have doubled down on numbers in corridors, they are on top of one another, it’s impossible to maintain social distancing in the ED, and staff are demoralised and overwhelmed."
