LATEST: Over 9,000 new cases of virus confirmed, expert group to examine pandemic response

Over 9,000 new cases of Covid-19 cases were confirmed this evening.

An expert group has been set up to initially identify lessons from the public health components of the response to the Covid-19 pandemic in Ireland.

A further 4,006 confirmed cases of Covid-19 were reported by the Department of Health, while 5,212 people registered a positive antigen test through the HSE portal.

As of 8am today, there were 824 patients with the virus in hospital of whom 79 are in ICU.

The latest figures come as it was announced a new expert group set up by Health Minister Stephen Donnelly will be tasked with looking at how to strengthen health protection generally and future public health pandemic preparedness.

It has also been tasked with identifying lessons from international best practice, with its final report expected in the middle of the year.