A further 1,000 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed, along with three more deaths.

This brings the total number of cases in the Republic to 47,427 and the total number of deaths to 1,841.

Of the 1,000 cases, 254 occurred in Dublin, 102 in Meath, 88 in Cork, 81 in Cavan and 75 in Galway.

As of 2pm on Friday afternoon, there were 246 people in hospital with confirmed COVID-19, 30 of whom were in ICU. There were 13 more hospitalisations in the previous 24 hours.

The 14-day incidence rate per 100,000 of the population in the 14 days up to October 14 was 217.9 nationally. However nine counties were above this national average, with Cavan the worst affected, at 735.1, followed by Meath (402.5), Monaghan (368.2) and Donegal (365).

The counties with the lowest 14-day incidence rate were Tipperary (88.4), Wicklow (91.3) and Waterford (109.3).

"Case numbers are continuing to rise. Right now, we need everyone to cut their social contacts to an absolute minimum. Every time you physically interact with another person, you are providing an opportunity for the virus to spread," commented the Department of Health's chief medical officer, Dr Tony Holohan.

NPHET has recommended that the entire country moves to level 5 of the Government's COVID plan for a six-week period. The Taoiseach, Micheal Martin, has said that he will be meeting party leaders and relevant ministers on Saturday "to give consideration to this advice".

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