The Delta variant of Covid-19 continues to cause a surge in cases in Ireland as the more transmissible strain of the virus circulates in the community.
Some 20,000 cases of the disease have been recorded here over the past fortnight, with almost a fifth reported in people who are fully vaccinated.
While vaccines provide protection against severe disease and reduce the risk of hospitalisation, the number of patients being treated in hospitals for the virus has also been edging higher in recent weeks.
As of 8am this morning, there were 206 patients being treated for the virus, of which 34 are in ICU.
It comes as a further 1,508 new cases of the disease were reported by NPHET this evening.
Some areas nationwide have been faring better than others when it comes to the prevalence of coronavirus cases in the past two weeks.
The national 14-day incidence rate per 100,000 of the population in Ireland stands at 429 today, but some countries are recording rates almost double that.
Five counties in Ireland have rates in excess of 500 in the past fortnight as they continue to struggle to suppress the Delta surge.
Donegal remains the toughest hit county nationwide with around 1,300 cases reported over a two week period, according to data from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC).
From July 27 until last Sunday, August 8, the 14-day incidence rate in Donegal was 816.
The second-worst county is Mayo with a rate of 645.2.
This is closely followed by Monaghan with a 14-day incidence rate of 643.5.
Making up the other top five worst impacted countries in the last two weeks are Louth (607.5) and Galway (572).
Other counties also above the national average of coronavirus cases in the past fortnight are Sligo (492.9), Cavan (485.7) and Roscommon (484.9).
Meanwhile, Dublin's 14-day incidence rate stands at 459.9.
Other regions with fortnightly rates in the 400s are Leitrim (411.9), Kerry (411.6), and Meath (405).
Limerick's 14-day rate per 100,000 people in the county is 389.4, while Longford's is 381.7, Laois' is 368.4, and Wicklow's rate is 364.4.
At the other end of the scale, there are ten counties faring relatively better with fortnightly rates all in the 200s.
These include: Westmeath (299.7), Cork (290.3), Offaly (286), Wexford (276.5), and Kildare (263.8).
The five best counties in terms of the 14-day incidence rate of coronavirus are all neighbouring areas in Munster and Leinster.
The county with the lowest prevalence of Covid-19 in the past fortnight is Waterford at 207.4.
This is followed by Kilkenny (220.7), Carlow (240.6), Clare (244.1), and Tipperary (262) as the counties with the lowest 14-day incidence rates.
