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Ireland has seen a major increase in new infections with 970 confirmed cases tonight, while 13 more people have died.
It brings the total number of infections here to 81,228 since the pandemic began.
The latest figures were announced by the Health Department tonight.
Dublin was once again the worst affected area in the country with 348 new cases.
Meanwhile, there were 60 in Limerick, 59 in Cork, 59 in Wexford, 55 in Louth, and the remaining 389 cases are spread across 20 other counties.
Dr. Tony Holohan, Medical Director, said: “The current trajectory of the disease in the community is of great concern. In the last seven days to midnight on Monday, we have reported 4,478 cases, an increase of more than 110% over the previous week.
“In the last 5 days, we have seen an extraordinary growth in the incidence of the virus across the country, significantly increasing the level of risk associated with the kind of intergenerational mixing that is normally experienced during the Christmas holidays.
(Image: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin)
“To protect ourselves, our families and our vulnerable loved ones in particular, more economic and social restrictions will begin to be introduced starting on Christmas Eve. It is up to each of us to rethink our plans for this Christmas period, especially when it is try to visit elderly or medically vulnerable family and friends.
“With the authorization of the first COVID-19 vaccine by the European Commission yesterday, our national vaccine program may start in the very near future and this gives us reason for hope. However, widespread vaccination of the population will take time, so we must continue to adhere to public health advice on hand washing, maintain a distance of 2m, wear face covers when appropriate, cover our coughs, and reduce our social contacts for the duration of Level 5 Restrictions. Working together we can reduce the spread of COVID-19 and safeguard our schools and hospitals. “
It comes after Tanaiste Leo Varadkar said that the lockdown restrictions will likely last the first two months of the year.
The Fine Gael leader says we should operate on the basis that the current restrictions will be in effect for the first two months of 2021.
This despite the fact that the government will reassess the situation on January 12.
Varadkar said the virus has spread very quickly in recent weeks, so he is not ruling out a more positive update in January.
But he says the safest thing is to assume we’ll be locked up for two months.
Varadkar says that the goal now must be to “delay” the spread of the virus, even if it is not possible to get the R number below 1.
This occurs in the context of a new strain of the virus that the Government fears has already affected our shores.
“On this current trajectory, we are likely to exceed 1k cases one day before Christmas and 2k before New Years,” Tanaiste said.
He added that it “may be necessary” to shut down non-essential retailers if there are problems around sales.
He says the government is relying on stores to help avoid large sales meetings in the coming week.
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