The Health Service Executive has said that the winter flu season has probably peaked in Ireland.
It said there has been a slight increase in cases in the last week but the rate of increase has decelerated.
The number of GP out-of-hours calls relating to flu have also decreased.
Dr Kevin Kelleher, Assistant National Director for Public and Child Health, said that Ireland is six weeks into the winter flu season.
The season is expected to last about 12 weeks and will continue to affect the health system.
Last year, the season lasted about eight to nine weeks.
There has been an increase in the number of hospitalisations as a result of the flu, and 34 people have died so far.
The HSE said the number of deaths is within what would be expected and the 2017/2018 season is probably the fifth worse season.
