National daily Covid-19 case numbers confirmed

The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has today been notified of 6,843* confirmed cases of COVID-19.

In addition, on Monday 17 January, 5,295** people registered a positive antigen test through the HSE portal.

There has been a total of 6,087 deaths related to COVID-19 notified in Ireland. This includes 52 deaths newly notified in the past week (since last Wednesday).

As of 8am today, 910 COVID-19 patients are hospitalised, of which 90 are in ICU.

Meanwhile the government has signed off on a new Bank Holiday this year and every year going forward. Cabinet today agreed to an extra Bank Holiday on March 18 in 2021, the day after St Patrick's Day.

The date this year will be used to remember and recognise the people who died and frontline staff who worked throughout the pandemic. Ministers also today signed off on a once-off, tax-free €1,000 bonus for frontline healthcare workers who were in settings exposed to covid during the pandemic.