A further 379 COVID cases have been announced this evening alongside nine new virus-related deaths.

It takes the death toll in Ireland to 4,929 and the national cases total to 253,567.

The totals account for the denotification of one death and one case.

This morning, there 117 COVID-19 patients in Irish hospitals – an 18.75% decrease on last week.

The number in intensive care has dropped by seven since last week to 34.

The five-day moving average is now 422.

The five-day moving average in Ireland.

The Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan said: “This week is a hopeful week and one that we have all been looking forward to.

“We have gotten to this point by working together in following the public health advice and reducing incidence of disease in our communities.

“We need to continue to focus on the measures that we know can protect ourselves and our loved ones from COVID-19. We can plan to meet friends and family where it is safe to do so and those who have been vaccinated can have confidence in their vaccine. They are now able to get out and about and enjoy the benefits of the vaccine.

He said the “two primary targets” in the coming weeks and months are vaccination and low transmission.

“If we can keep cases low and continue to vaccinate as many people as possible, we will find ourselves in a very different risk environment where we can see further easing of measures,” he said.

“Our task now is to keep the disease under control by following the basic measures and taking up our vaccine when it is offered to us.”

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

Of the cases announced this evening, 171 were in Dublin, with 27 in Donegal, 28 in Kildare, 24 in Limerick, 22 in Cork, and the rest spread across 18 other counties.

The 14-day rate of the virus in Ireland now stands at 128.1 cases per 100,000 people.

Donegal still has the highest rate in the country at 253.2, with Kildare just behind on 251.2.

Eight counties now have rates between 100 and 200.

As of Sunday, 1,848,747 vaccine doses had been administered in Ireland.

Some 1,347,561 had received their first dose – around 31.3% of the adult population.