There have been 470 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ireland.

The latest figures also show there has been one further death from the virus.

There has now been a total of 1,801 COVID-19 related deaths and 37,063 confirmed cases here.

This includes the denotification of six deaths.

Of the cases notified on Friday:

• 225 are men / 242 are women
• 68% are under 45 years of age
• 40% are confirmed to be associated with outbreaks or are close contacts of a confirmed case
• 68 cases have been identified as community transmission

There are 198 cases are in Dublin, 61 in Cork, 36 in Donegal, 19 in Kildare and 19 in Limerick.

There are also 12 in Kerry, 11 in Galway, 11 in Meath, 10 in Roscommon and nine each in Cavan, Clare, Kilkenny, Longford, Offaly and Westmeath.

A further eight cases are in Louth, seven in Tipperary and seven in Wexford - with the remaining 17 cases across seven counties.

Dr Ronan Glynn, Acting Chief Medical Officer, said: "The situation nationally is a matter of serious concern and NPHET is now recommending that no more than two households should meet at any given time.

"It is vital that everyone - families, friends and neighbours - limit the opportunities this virus has to move from person to person and stop the spread of the disease across households.

"Behave as though you have the virus and keep yourself and those around you safe - don't take a risk by organising or attending gatherings with more than one other household."

'Cautiously optimistic' for Dublin

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly earlier told The Hard Shouler he has received a "very stark letter" from the Chief Medical Officer.

"He says the number of deaths is continuing to increase, the number of patients in hospital and in critical care is increasing rapidly.

"There's been a 30% increase in COVID hospitalisations just in the past week.

"The reproductive number - this R number - is now about 1.3, and he explains that that means that the number of cases doubles in about two to two and a half weeks.

"He reported that close contacts of a confirmed case remains the primary mode of transmissions across the country and that a lot of this is coming from within households.

"He points out that there's been a sharp rise for 19 to 24-year-olds.

"And he also says the seven day - this positivity rate - the number of people who test positive is now 3%, which has gone up quite a bit again in the past week.

"They are concerned - there are some initially, cautiously optimistic numbers coming out of Dublin - that the level three measures in Dublin may be beginning to work.

"But across the country, they are very concerned, they're trying to do everything they can really to stop other counties moving into level three - and hence they came up with that advice to me and to Government yesterday.

"And that's why we've accepted that advice".