4,115 new cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Ireland today.
The five-day moving average of new cases is now 4,166 - down over 500 compared to this day last week.
As of this morning, there were 511 patients in hospital with COVID-19 - down from 530 yesterday.
Of the patients currently in hospital, 110 are in intensive care - a decrease of five over the last 24 hours.
Latest figures show the country's 14-day incidence rate is 1,334 cases per 100,000 people - with Carlow, Westmeath and Kildare having the highest rates.
Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan said Ireland's in a "very uncertain and unstable position" due to the high rate of COVID-19.
He said that's being driven by the highly transmissible Delta variant, while officials are still waiting for more information about the Omicron variant.
He said: "Early indications suggest that a booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine will offer good protection against infection from Delta and Omicron.
"We are all aware that this day 2 weeks is Christmas Eve, a time of year when we all look forward to coming together with friends and family.
"You can take measures today and in the next few days that will ensure the safest possible interaction with your loved ones over Christmas."
He said those measures include avoiding crowds and reducing contacts, as well as wearing a mask in crowded outdoor environments.
