The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has today been notified of 5,471* confirmed cases of COVID-19.
As of 8am today, 579 COVID-19 patients are hospitalised, of whom 122 are in ICU.
It comes as news broke that all passengers arriving into the State will have to have a negative antigen or PCR test to gain entry into the country from Friday, Cabinet have agreed.
Health Minister Stephen Donnelly confirmed to the Irish Mirror that this would include passengers coming by air or sea from Great Britain.
The rule will not apply to Northern Ireland - but there will be an exemption for children aged under 11, the Irish Mirror understands.
Unvaccinated people will have to have a negative PCR test but fully vaccinated people can avail of a PCR or antigen test.
The tests will have to be privately paid for and cannot be home antigen tests.
Those travelling with an antigen test result will need to have obtained it within 48 hours of departure.
Those with a PCR test result will have a longer pre-travel window of 72 hours.
The rule will be reviewed in two weeks' time after more is known about the emerging Omicron variant.
Minister Donnelly also confirmed to the Irish Mirror that he expects more countries to be added to the home quarantine list later this week.
