The Chief Medical Officer says we have now returned to the very high levels of COVID-19 circulating in the community.

It comes after health officials were today notified of six additional deaths related to COVID-19.

1,296 confirmed cases of COVID-19 have also been reported today.

As of midnight Friday 25th December, the @hpscireland has been notified of 1,296 confirmed cases of COVID-19.

There is now a total of 85,394 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ireland. #COVID19

— Department of Health (@roinnslainte) December 26, 2020

There has now been a total of 85,394 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ireland since the pandemic began.

Dr Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer, said: “For the second day in a row we are reporting more than a thousand confirmed cases of COVID-19.

"Within a few short weeks of easing measures at the beginning of December, we have now returned to the very high levels of COVID-19 circulating in the community that we have not seen since the peak of Wave Two of this disease. This is very concerning.

“While today is a positive day with the arrival of the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine (Comirnaty), it does not mean that we can relax our adherence to public health measures.

“We must continue to stay at home, avoid social contact where possible, avoid visiting friends and family and not have visitors to our homes. Our adherence to public health advice will remain our best defence against this disease and help us protect our vulnerable loved ones from the effects of COVID-19.”

Main image: Dr Tony Holohan. Picture: RollingNews.ie