Another 4,620 new Covid cases have been confirmed today (Fri).
There are also 571 in hospital with the virus with 118 of these people in intensive care.
Dr Tony Holohan said that factors – including levels of social contact “over the festive period” – will determine the number of cases over the next few weeks and months.
It comes as the World Health Organization classified a new Covid-19 mutation as a “variant of concern”.
Originating in southern Africa, it has been renamed Omicron.
