10 more Covid-19 deaths

There have been 10 more deaths from Covid-19 and 6,521 new cases of the virus confirmed by the Department of Health today.

240 of the new cases of the virus were reported in Meath.

The total death toll now stands at 2,307and the total number of infections has reached 127,657.

The number of patients with Covid-19 in ICU has reached 96 - an increase of eight since yesterday.

There are now 1,043 patients in hospital with the virus, with 99 additional hospitalisations in the past 24 hours.

Professor Philip Nolan said Ireland was facing the "fastest rate of growth" of coronavirus since March with "exceptionally high levels of disease".

Current case counts are "dwarfing" the first peak, according to the chair of the National Public Health Emergency Team's Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group.

However, he said there are "some very early signs" that the restrictions imposed recently by the Government are starting to have an impact.

If anything, this is a sign that we have "a considerable way to go and we need to continue and redouble our efforts" to suppress transmission of the virus, Mr Nolan said.

The 14-day incidence is now at 937 per 100,000 nationally. There are 23,000 tests being carried out per day on average - the highest level ever - with a 21% positivity rate.