LATEST: Varadkar can’t rule out more restrctions as almost 5,000 new cases of virus confirmed

A further 4,799 people have contracted Covid-19, the Department of Health confirmed this evening.

And the number of patients being treated in hospital now stands at 467, a rise of 31 from yesterday. Of these, 104 are in ICU, a drop of three.

The latest cases come as Tánaiste Leo Varadkar earlier said record case numbers of the Omicron Covid-19 variant are expected in the coming days.

But he told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland he is hoping and expecting that high infection numbers will not bring hospitalisations and deaths as high as earlier waves.

The Tánaiste also said there is no plan to impose more severe restrictions but that it cannot be completely ruled out.