Ireland logged a further 8,453 cases of Covid-19 on Monday, according to the Department of Health.
3,975 cases were confirmed by PCR test, while 4,478 positive antigen test results were uploaded to the HSE portal. The Department has cautioned that self-registered test results are not directly comparable with laboratory PCR-confirmed cases.
Figures from the weekend were also published on Monday, showing a total of 8,736 new cases logged on Sunday and 10,977 on Saturday.
There were 643 patients hospitalised with the virus as of this morning, a rise on before the weekend when the number had dipped below 600, with 76 people in intensive care.
A total of 121,521 PCR tests were completed over the past seven days, with a positivity rate of 32 per cent.
In Northern Ireland, another 3,105 confirmed cases of the virus were notified over the last 24-hour reporting period.
Two further people who had previously tested positive have died in the region, while there were 362 inpatients in hospital with the virus on Monday morning, with 14 in intensive care.
The region's Minister for Health Robin Swann has said the resignation of DUP First Minister Paul Givan has removed the opportunity for the Stormont Executive to discuss the removal of further restrictions which are now "unnecessary".
I’m not prepared to allow a failure of politics to get in the way of lifting now unnecessary restrictions
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“I’m not prepared to allow a failure of politics to get in the way of lifting now unnecessary restrictions," he said.
“I can confirm it was my intention to go to the Executive this week to advocate a significant removal of Covid restrictions.
“I am now seeking that legal guidance on how I myself can replace the bulk of the remaining restrictions, if not all of them, with clear guidance and advice.
“When we had an Executive, ministers always said we wouldn’t retain restrictions for a day longer than necessary, so that same logic should still apply.”
Mr Swann added that removing remaining restrictions did not mean a “free for all”. “While we must move forward carefully, we can’t stay locked in emergency restrictions forever,” he said.
