A further 499 coronavirus cases have been announced this evening alongside eight more deaths.

It takes the death toll in Ireland to 1,940 and the total number of cases to 64,538.

Some 175 of the new cases are in Dublin, with 72 in Cork, 29 in Limerick, 26 in Mayo and 21 in Meath.

The remaining 176 are spread across 19 other counties.

The 14-day rate of the virus now stands at 196.4 cases per 100,000 people – down from 202.1 yesterday.

Donegal has the highest rate in the country at 299, followed Meath at 280.4, Cavan at 261.2 and Cork at 240.9.

Dublin is now at 201.1 while Leitrim has the lowest rate in the country at 10 cases per 100,000 people.

This afternoon there were 292 COVID-19 patients in Irish hospitals – down from 302 yesterday.

The number in intensive care has dropped form 38 yesterday to 37 today.

Of the 83,178 tests carried out in the past week, 4.3% came back positive.