NPHET is concerned that Ireland's 'positive trajectory' in tackling the coronavirus has stalled and is now deteriorating in a number of respects.
Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn has said there's a 'short period of time to turn this around', as level five restrictions are current scheduled to end in two weeks' time.
It comes after 456 new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in Ireland today.
Yesterday, Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan said the rising average daily five-day case count was a 'worrying development'.
This evening, Dr Glynn reiterated that concern.
He said: "Really we are concerned: unfortunately the very positive trajectory we had been reporting in recent weeks has at best stalled - and, according to a number of indicators, is now deteriorating.
"We can't attribute it to any one cause. We're seeing cases across the country, in a range of different settings.
"We're seeing a number of outbreaks in workplaces. As we've seen throughout, a high number of small family and household clusters... unfortunately [for the virus] to get into those households, people have to pick it up in the community."
With two weeks to go under the current level five restrictions, he encouraged people and communities to take the opportunity to turn the situation around.
Dr Glynn noted that a number of clusters have been associated with funerals, wakes and other family gatherings around the country.
He said that NPHET wants people to take care, and to not drop their guard in terms of face coverings, hand washing and social distancing when they're with people they know.
'Focus on the basics'
Dr Glynn also encouraged people to 'start focusing again on the basics' rather than what the situation might be on December 1st or at Christmas.
He said: "We have to focus on today and tomorrow, and what people are doing individually today and tomorrow.
"We have no idea where we'll be in two weeks time at this point - it could get much better, it could get much worse."
Earlier today, it emerged that the Government is looking at banning takeaway pints from pubs after scenes of crowds drinking on streets in Cork and Dublin over the weekend.
Dr Glynn said such scenes are frustrating and disheartening for many groups - the millions of people following the rules; for business owners impacted by restrictions; for healthcare workers; and "particularly for older people and people with medical conditions... who have isolated themselves".
However, he urged people to not get distracted by such scenes, and stressed there's a "very significant silent majority" doing the right thing.
