There have been 4,620 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ireland.
Latest figures show 571 patients are hospitalised with the virus - with 118 of these in ICU.
It comes as a new variant of the disease has been found in Belgium.
The B.1.1.529 variant has been named a 'Variant of Concern' by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
The body has also named it as the 'Omicron' variant.
It was first reported in South Africa on November 24th, after the first known confirmed infection was from a specimen collected on November 9th.
The WHO says: "This variant has a large number of mutations, some of which are concerning."
It says preliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of re-infection with this variant, while the number of cases of it "appears to be increasing in almost all provinces in South Africa".
It adds that there are a number of studies underway and they will continue to evaluate the variant.
Meanwhile the Government is expected to announce details of restrictions on travel from southern African countries.
It comes after European Union states agreed to temporarily suspend travel to the region, after the detection of the new variant.
Ireland is expected to follow suit, but is not bound by such decisions as it is outside the free-travel Schengen Area.
Belgium earlier reported the first case of the new variant in Europe.
Although the country's health minister, Frank Vandenbroucke, stressed there was no need to panic - as much remains unknown about the new variant.
