50 deaths and 3,498 new cases, 85 of them local, are being reported by NPHET this evening.
Transmission of the virus in Carlow remains the 8th worst in the country after 44 new cases mean the 14-day incidence rate rises to 1,665 per 100,000.
41 cases have been confirmed in Kilkenny with the infection rate rising to 1,237.
There’s also been another 164 positive test results in Waterford where the 14-day rate is gone to 2,028 and 4th highest in the country.
Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn says the number of close contacts per case peaked at 6 at the end of December but has now dropped to 2.3.
The Chief Medical Officer has issued a warning over the new Brazil variant.
There’s no evidence of it here yet but anyone who’s travelled from the country in the last 14 days is being asked to self-isolate and refer themselves for a coronavirus test.
