The Department of Health has been notified of 592 new cases of Covid-19 and 10 additional deaths.
Ireland's 14-day incidence rate is now 162 cases per 100,000 people. As of 8am this morning, there were 259 patients with the virus in hospital, 87 of whom were being treated in intensive care.
In the South East there are 13 new cases in Waterford, 8 in Wexford, 6 in Tipperary, 5 in Carlow and less than 5 in Kilkenny.
Despite the country continuing to make progress in terms of reducing the incidence of the virus, the chair of the Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group has warned they are beginning to see a "number of causes for concern".
The National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) has also approved new guidance from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) regarding visitations to long term residential care facilities which will come into effect from March 22nd.
The guidance allows for residents to receive two visits per week on general compassionate grounds in nursing homes "two weeks after full vaccination of approximately eight out of 10 of all residents and healthcare workers in the nursing home," a statement from the Department of Health confirmed.
The Department added: "There is no requirement to limit visits to less than one hour."
Significant restrictions
Elsewhere, Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tánaiste Leo Varadkar are both reported to have told their respective parliamentary party meetings on Wednesday evening that significant restrictions will remain in place for at least another two months.
The Government's hands are said to be tied due to vaccines shortages and no major easing of restrictions is expected in April.
Earlier today, the Government aired their frustrations in the Dáil over AstraZeneca's failure to meet supply agreements, with the Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly describing the company’s operations as “unacceptable”.
The HSE's chief executive also commented on the ongoing vaccine rollout issues, saying it was "bizarre" that shortages were being blamed on the HSE as opposed to the manufacturers.
Speaking at the HSE's weekly press briefing, Paul Reid was particularly critical of AstraZeneca, saying their confidence in the company has been “rocked”.
Mr Reid cast doubt on whether the supplier will be able to meet its full commitment to supply 377,000 vaccines by the end of March, adding between 75,000-85,000 doses of the vaccine are expected to be administered next week.
