THE DEPARTMENT OF Health has reported 264 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Ireland.

A further two people with Covid-19 have died in the past 24 hours, according to a statement from the National Public Health Emergency Team.

The death toll from Covid-19 now stands at 2,126, with a total of 76,449 confirmed cases of the virus since the pandemic began.

Ireland’s 14-day incidence rate is an average of 83.4 cases per 100,000, which is still the lowest rate in the EU. Today, twelve counties have incidence rates higher than the national average of 83.4.

As of 2pm today, 215 Covid-19 patients are hospitalised, of which 33 are in ICU. There have been 17 additional hospitalisations in the past 24 hours.

Of the cases notified today:

• 128 are men, and 134 are women
• 65% are under 45 years of age
• The median age is 36 years old
• 79 in Dublin, 24 in Donegal, 19 in Kerry, 18 in Limerick, 14 in Kildare, 14 in Wexford and the remaining 96 cases are spread across 16 other counties.

Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan said that there is usually a drop in figures on Monday and Tuesday after the weekend, and so “it wouldn’t be unusual” to associate the drop in the number of cases with this.

Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said last week that it was likely that there would be an increase in Covid-19 cases in January, but that the decision to re-impose restrictions wouldn’t be taken lightly.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin said that if a Covid-19 vaccine is approved by the European Medicines Agency on 29 December, there will be “limited volumes” of supply available in Ireland in January and February, but that “bigger volumes” would come in March, April and May.

The head of the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) said at this evening’s briefing that there would be “no lowering of the bar” in the process of assessing the approval for a Covid-19 vaccine.