*Tests are examined at the Shannon Airport drive-thru facility. Photograph: Sean Curtin / True Media
Co Clare has reported eight new cases of COVID-19 among the 482 nationally.
With a 14 day incidence rate per 100k of the population at 104.4, Co Clare remains well below the falling national 14 day rate of 129.2. Eleven counties are above the national figure.
Following confirmation of eight new cases in Clare, it means that for a full week there has been a single figure daily increase of cases in the county.
Of the 482 new cases, 128 are in Dublin, 45 in Cork, 43 in Waterford, 24 in Donegal, 24 in Meath, 36 in Limerick and the remaining 182 cases are spread across 20 other counties including the 8 in Clare.
An additional seven deaths have been notified to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre, all of which occurred in November. Thus far, 1,972 persons have died from the virus in the Republic of Ireland.
Currently, 258 persons are being treated for Coronavirus in Irish hospitals, 35 of this figure are in ICUs. Over the past 24 hours, 12 new hospitalisations were reported.
Speaking on Friday, the Chief Medical Officer said the rise in national cases served as “an important reminder of the unpredictable nature of this highly infectious disease”. Dr Tony Holohan added, “The hard work undertaken by all of us over the last three weeks is to be commended, but we must not allow our success to date let us drop our guard against the spread of this disease”.
