Exact location of 744 new Covid-19 cases as worst-hit areas revealed amid return of Level 5

Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Donegal are the counties with the highest recorded Covid-19 figures over the last 24 hours.

Today's figures – released by the Department of Health this evening – show 744 new cases of coronavirus have been reported, with four more people tragically dying as a result of the virus.

The numbers show a big drop on yesterday's 1,296 infections – but public health bosses have warned that the reduction is more than likely a false flag.

Of today's cases, 246 are in Dublin, 131 are in Cork, 51 are in Limerick, 40 are in Wexford, 33 are in Donegal and the remaining 243 are spread across 19 other counties.

Ireland's 14-day incidence rate per 100,000 now stands at 209.6.

A passenger walks inside an empty Terminal 1 at Dublin Airport, during the coronavirus lockdown level 3. (NurPhoto/PA Images)

Our seven-day incidence rate now stands at 139, while the five-day moving average is 983.

As of 8am today, there are 324 Covid-19 patients in Ireland's hospitals – of which 26 are in ICU.

Alarmingly, there have been 50 more hospitalisations from the virus in the last 24 hours.

Some 388 of the cases are men, while the other 354 are women – with 64% of patients under the age of 45.

The median age of today's infections is 34 years old.

Today, HSE chief Paul Reid warned that Ireland has "alarming" levels of Covid-19 in the community.

Paul Reid, Chief Executive Officer, HSE (Collins Photo Agency)

And Dr Tony Holohan said the reduction can be explained by the fact that fewer tests were carried out on Christmas Day.

The Chief Medical Officer said: "Due to the lower volume of tests being carried out over Christmas Day and yesterday, we believe there are higher levels of disease circulating in the community than today’s reported case numbers reflect.

"We expect, therefore, to see a large increase in cases reported over the coming days."

Here's the full county-by-county breakdown of today's numbers:

Donegal – 33

Louth – 9

Kilkenny – 17

Limerick – 51

Monaghan – 0

Dublin – 246

Wicklow – 22

Longford – 0

Mayo – 18

Carlow – <5

Tipperary – 18

Meath – 8

Waterford – 17

Roscommon – 5

Cork – 131

Cavan – 9

Kildare – 24

Laois – <5

Sligo – 12

Clare – 17

Galway –21

Offaly – <5

Kerry – 19

Westmeath – 17

Wexford – 40

Leitrim –<5