A further 61 coronavirus-related deaths have been announced this evening, alongside 2,488 new cases.

Health officials said 58 of the deaths occurred this month, with three of them still under investigation.

It takes the death toll in Ireland to 2,768 and the total number of confirmed cases to 179,324.

This afternoon, there were 1,923 COVID-19 patients in Irish hospitals, with 210 in intensive care.

The Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan said: “The number of cases and deaths that we are reporting today and the persisting high incidence rate of COVID-19 across the country shows that we cannot underestimate the highly infectious nature of this disease and the impact that it can have on families and communities.

“The virus spreads through close contacts, through the congregation of people. We need everyone to stay at home as much as possible, and to work from home, where possible. You should not meet up with friends or loved ones, unless you are caring for them.

“If you go out for exercise, you need to stay within 5km from your home, wear a face covering where appropriate and wash your hands when you return home to protect yourself from infection.

“If you are COVID positive, you should self-isolate and stay at home, in your room, avoiding contact with other people. This is to protect the other people that you live with.”

The 14-day rate of coronavirus in Ireland. Image: Department of Health

Of the deaths announced this evening, 726 were in Dublin, with 314 in Cork, 148 in Galway, 133 in Limerick, 130 in Meath and the remaining 1,037 spread across all other counties.

The 14-day rate of the virus in Ireland now stands at 1,222.8 cases per 100,000 people.

Monaghan still has the highest rate in the country at 2,264.4, with 13 other counties reporting rates higher than 1,000.

The five-day moving average of the virus is now 2,556 while the seven-day incidence is 424.8.