A further 301 new cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in the Republic, however no new deaths have been reported.

The total number of cases now stands at 74,246, while the total number of deaths remains at 2,099.

Of the 301 new cases, 119 occurred in Dublin, 32 in Donegal, 16 in Cork, 13 in Kildare and 13 in Kilkenny.

As of 2pm on Sunday, there were 231 people in hospital with confirmed COVID-19, 28 of whom were in ICU. There had been eight 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 5 was 80.7 nationally. However 10 counties were above this national average, with Donegal the worst affected, at 224.9 per 100,000, followed by Kilkenny (171.3) and Louth (159.1).

The counties with the lowest 14-day incidence rate were Leitrim (15.6), Wexford (19.4) and Westmeath (23.7).
In the 24-hour period up to midnight on December 5, three counties reported zero new cases of COVID - Westmeath, Sligo and Laois.

Meanwhile in Northern Ireland, 419 new cases of the virus were confirmed on Sunday, bringing the total number of cases there to 55,047. Eleven further deaths were also reported, bringing the total number of deaths in the North to 1,050.

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