The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has today been notified of 5,109* PCR-confirmed cases of Covid-19.
In addition, on Thursday 27 January, 4,482** people registered a positive antigen test through the HSE portal.
As of 8am today, 707 Covid-19 patients are hospitalised, of which 69 are in ICU.
It comes as new data from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre shows the counties that recorded the highest incidence rates of the virus per 100,000 of the population in the third week in January.
Westmeath is in the top spot, according to the latest HPSC data for the third week of this month from January 16 to January 22.
The county has an incidence rate of 4529.7 per 100,000 of the population.
Making up the top three Covid hotspots are Clare (2960.9) and Kildare (2904.2).
The rest of the regions in the top ten worst-hit areas are: Roscommon (2886.4), Cavan (2641.3), Donegal (2576.8), Louth (2566.6), Monaghan (2544.6), Wexford (2455.9) and Longford (2434.4).
These are followed by: Sligo (2278.2), Wicklow (2227.8), Leitrim (2187.6), Galway (2186.7), Mayo (2095.7), Meath (2032.4), Carlow (2007.7), Dublin (1926.9), Waterford (1856.7), Tipperary (1822.0) and Offaly (1768.8).
Meanwhile, the five counties faring best with coronavirus are: Kerry (1157.7), Limerick (1493.6), Cork (1572.4) Laois (1695.5) and Kilkenny (1705.1).
