A further 183 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the Republic, bringing the total number of cases here to 73,228.

However, according to NPHET, there appears to have been an IT problem on Wednesday night, so the figure of 183 may represent an under-reporting of up to 100 cases. The issue is being investigated and NPHET will provide more information in relation to it on Friday.

Six more deaths have also been notified, bringing the total number of deaths here to 2,080.

Of the 183 new cases, 56 occurred in Dublin, 26 in Donegal, 13 in Limerick, 11 in Kilkenny and 11 in Monaghan.
As of 2pm on Thursday, there were 239 people in hospital with confirmed COVID, 32 of whom were in ICU. There had been 10 additional hospitalisations in the previous 24 hours.

The 14-day incidence rate per 100,000 of the population in the 14 days up to midnight on December 2 was 79.7 nationally. However 10 counties were above this national average, with Donegal the worst affected, at 212.3 per 100,000, followed by Louth (162.2) and Kilkenny (147.1).

The counties with the lowest 14-day incidence rate were Leitrim (9.4), Wexford (22.7) and Westmeath (23.7).
In the 24-hour period up to midnight on December 2, six counties reported zero new cases of COVID - Wexford, Offaly, Kerry, Clare, Laois and Mayo.

The entire country is currently at level 3 of the Government's COVID plan. For more on this, click here.