Further Covid-19 restrictions will be eased from Friday despite growing concern over infection numbers on both sides of the Border ahead of the Christmas holidays.
The National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) will meet on Thursday to discuss the spread of the disease, which has been described as “troubling”.
Chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan said the country was in a “precarious situation” with the transmission of the virus going in the “wrong direction”.
Wednesday saw six more deaths related to Covid-19 recorded in the Republic and an additional 432 cases.
It brings the total number of deaths linked to the virus in the State to 2,140 with 77,197 cases, according to figures from the Department of Health.
There are currently 211 patients in hospital with the virus, with 28 in intensive care units.
The positivity rate among people tested for Covid-19 is now at 2.9 per cent and more than 83,000 tests have been carried out in the State over the past seven days.
The national 14-day incidence rate of the disease is 87.9 cases per 100,000 people. Donegal has the highest county incidence rate at 245.6 cases per 100,000, up slightly from recent days. Clare has the lowest rate, at 23.6 per 100,000.
In Europe, only Iceland has a lower incidence rate than Ireland, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).
Weekly statistics compiled by the ECDC show the Republic has the lowest infection rate in the European Union.
Northern Ireland
The Mid and East Antrim council district is the worst hit area in the North, with an incidence rate of 525.5 cases per 100,000 people over the last 14 days.
The next highest rate is in the Newry, Mourne and Down area, with 406.8 cases per 100,000.
On Wednesday another 510 people tested positive for Covid-19 in Northern Ireland and eight more deaths were reported, according to the region's Department of Health.
More restrictions are due to be lifted in the Republic on Friday, allowing people travel anywhere in Ireland and three households to meet.
The North's Health Minister Robin Swann is due to bring proposals for further Covid-19 restrictions to the Stormont Executive on Thursday, but it is not thought any new regulations will be brought in before the Christmas break.
First Minister Arlene Foster said people need to take “all and every precaution” when they come together at Christmas, and she said she could not rule out further restrictions in the days afterwards.
