There has been nine more coronavirus-related deaths and 379 new cases of Covid-19 with 11 locally in Carlow and Kilkenny.
There’s been six new cases in Carlow where the infection rate is steady on 90 cases per 100,00 people and 13th best in the country.
Kilkenny has had five new positive test results reported on Tuesday.
It means the county has fallen back to sixth best on the table by the 14-day incidence rate, which is up five points to 45 per 100,000.
Dr Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer at the Department of Health said: “This week is a hopeful week and one that we have all been looking forward to. We have gotten to this point by working together in following the public health advice and reducing incidence of disease in our communities.
”We need to continue to focus on the measures that we know can protect ourselves and our loved ones from COVID-19 – we can plan to meet friends and family where it is safe to do so and those who have been vaccinated can have confidence in their vaccine. They are now able to get out and about and enjoy the benefits of the vaccine.
”The two primary targets as we try to exit the pandemic are vaccination and low transmission. If we can keep cases low and continue to vaccinate as many people as possible, we will find ourselves in a very different risk environment where we can see further easing of measures. Our task now is to keep the disease under control by following the basic measures and taking up our vaccine when it is offered to us.”
