By Digital Desk Staff
There have been five further deaths and 322 new cases of Covid-19 confirmed in the Republic this evening.
16 of today's cases are in Waterford, and the incidence rate in the county is now 196.3.
Of the cases notified today, 96 are located in Dublin, 35 in Meath, 23 in Cork, 17 in Louth, 16 in Waterford and the remaining 135 cases are spread across 18 other counties.
Chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan said: “Due to the efforts of people across Ireland, we are seeing improvements with Covid-19.
"However, we must remember that maintaining this downward trend is now the most crucial thing.
"The value of our progress depends on continuing the safe behaviour that got us to this position. I urge everyone to keep it up, to ensure these initial trends continue.”
Cavan, Meath and Sligo are the counties with the current highest 14-day incidence rates of the virus in the country.
There were 306 people in hospital with Covid-19 as of this afternoon, with 42 people being cared for in intensive care units.
There have been six further Covid-19-linked deaths in Northern Ireland and 570 new cases of the virus, the Department of Health announced.
The region has seen some 4,629 confirmed cases notified over the last seven days.
There are currently 413 patients with Covid-19 being treated in hospital, with 51 in intensive care.
It comes as today chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan told a Government committee that travel for non-essential reasons “is not safe” and that returning home for Christmas would not be classed as an essential reason.
