Covid-19: No further deaths and 242 confirmed cases

The national 14-day incidence rate currently stands at 80.4.

There have been no further Covid-related deaths, the Health Protection Surveillance Centre has confirmed.

The total number of deaths in Ireland remains at 2,099.

The HPSC has been notified of 242 confirmed cases of the coronavirus. 

There has now been a total of 74,468 cases of the virus in the Republic following the denotification of 20 cases.

As of 2pm, there are 223 Covid-19 patients in hospital of which 28 are in ICU.

There have been 9 additional hospitalisations in the past 24 hours.

The majority of cases announced today are located in Dublin with 76 cases.

This is followed by Donegal with 27 cases, Kilkenny with 22, Galway with 16 and Louth with 14.

The remaining 87 cases are spread across 18 other counties.

The national 14-day incidence rate per 100,000 currently stands at 80.4.

The rate in Donegal is at almost three times that at 232.4.

Seven counties, including Donegal, have a 14-day incidence rate per 100,000 above 100 - Kilkenny 172.3, Louth 156.7, Limerick 139, Monaghan 120.5, Wicklow 118 and Carlow 117.7.

Although the 14-day rate has decreased, the seven-day incidence rate has increased by 13% in the last week.

Both in 14-day and seven-day, Ireland has the lowest incidence rate in Europe as things currently stand.

Meanwhile in the North, a further nine people with Covid-19 have died.

The Department of Health confirmed a further 397 people have tested positive for the vaccine.