The Department of Health has been notified of 683 new cases of Covid-19 and 18 additional deaths.
Six of these deaths occurred in March, seven in February and five in January.
Of today's cases, 324 were men, 359 were women and 75 per cent were under the age of 45.
Fewer than five of the cases reported this evening were in Waterford.
Dublin accounted for 308 of the cases, while there were 68 in Donegal, 49 in Kildare, 35 in Meath and 30 in Offaly. The remaining 193 were spread across 21 other counties.
As of 8am this morning, there were 329 people in hospital with the virus, 76 of these people were receiving treatment in Intensive Care Units.
The national 14-day incidence rate per 100,000 is 159.3, while the five-day moving average of new cases is 573.
In the North, there was no further deaths from the virus reported, but 139 new cases. There are also 154 people being treated for Covid-19 in hospital, 14 of whom are in intensive care.
According to a statement from the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet), as of March 21st, there have been 680,015 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine administered in the State. This includes 495,824 first doses and 184,191 second doses.
The figures come amid growing tension in Europe regarding the EU's decision to tighten export criteria for vaccine shipments.
The bloc has been criticised for its rollout of the vaccine, facing major delays and shortages, particularly regarding their contract with AstraZeneca.
Earlier today, the European Commission set out a proposal to expand existing measures, seeking to ensure planned exports by drugmakers do not threaten already reduced EU supply.
Export licences will be granted based on reciprocity and "proportionality", taking into account the epidemiological situation, vaccination rate and access to vaccines in the destination country.
The impact of vaccination is already being felt in some sectors here, with a report published today by the Health Protection and Surveillance Centre (HPSC) showing new Covid-19 outbreaks in nursing homes fell from 23 in the last week of January to just two last week.
