Over 1,300 people who were a close contact of someone who tested positive for COVID-19 did not show up for their test.
The HSE contacts people who have come into close proximity with a confirmed case and arranges a time for them to get tested.
It's been suggested at the COVID-19 Response Committee this afternoon that tests should be made mandatory for close contacts.
Dr Lorraine Doherty of the Health Protection Surveillance Centre says every effort is made to get a close contact tested.
"The initial contact is made within the contact tracing centres", she said. "There are at least four or five attempts to make contact contacts there."
"Where there's an inability to contact the contact their details are passed on to the public health department who may have local knowledge as to how they might find these contacts."
