A further 15 Covid-19 related deaths and 310 additional confirmed cases have been confirmed in the Republic of Ireland.
Of the deaths reported today, 10 died in December.
In the South East; Kilkenny, Waterford and Tipperary have each confirmed 15 new cases.
While there are 11 in Carlow and 5 new infections in Wexford.
Meanwhile, the Minister for Health has said the Oireachtas Transport Committee is wrong to call for a relaxation on non-essential air travel around Christmas.
Stephen Donnelly said the Government and public health experts remained concerned about the need to “keep our shape and keep our discipline” and limit social interaction over the holiday period.
The minister said the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) had advised him that there would be “serious exponential growth” in infection rates if the R number (reproductive rate) for Covid-19 increased above 1.2.
“It is something that nobody wants because it puts the hospitals at risk. It puts lives at risk, it puts the nursing homes at risk,” he said.
He pointed out that most countries in Europe were now branded red for travel purposes which meant anyone coming back for the holidays would have to quarantine for two weeks unless they got a negative PCR test after being back five days.
“What I’m saying, what the Government is saying and I think much more importantly what the public health experts are saying is if you need to come home for Christmas, of course come home,” he said.
