Almost 16,000 new cases of Covid-19 have been reported in Ireland.
The Department of Health said it has been notified of 9,186 cases confirmed by PCR tests.
An additional 6,752 people registered a positive antigen test result through the HSE portal yesterday.
The seven-day positivity rate has increased to 34.1%, from 30.4% last Friday and 27.9% two weeks ago.
Meanwhile, the Department of Health said "due to a technical issue" with the computerised reporting system on Tuesday, the number of Covid cases notified on Wednesday was low.
It said as a result, additional cases were reported in today's figure.
It comes as the number of people with the virus in hospital has risen to the highest level in more than seven weeks.
There were 907 patients in hospitals around the country with Covid as of 8am, up 30 on the same time yesterday.
It compares to 670 last Friday, an increase of more than 35% in the last week, and it represents the highest figure since 19 January.
In contrast, the number of people with the coronavirus in intensive care units has fallen to the lowest level in seven months, since mid-August.
As of 11.30am, there were 37 patients with Covid receiving treatment in ICU, a decrease of four on the same time yesterday.
It represents the third day in a row where there number of virus case in critical care has reduced and it compares to 43 last Friday and 53 two weeks ago.
Earlier, the Minister for Higher Education Simon Harris confirmed that he has tested positive for Covid-19.
The former Minister for Health shared his result on social media, alongside a picture of a positive antigen test.
"Woke up feeling a bit rotten today and took an antigen test. Unfortunately, it is positive," Mr Harris wrote.
"Will be working away from home for next few days. Suggestions to occupy the time in isolation also welcome."
Covid-19 still 'spreading widely' in Ireland
Professor Sam McConkey, Head of the Department of International Health and Tropical Medicine at the Royal College of Surgeons, has said SARS-CoV-2 is still "spreading widely" in Ireland, but he is "reassured" that they are not seeing huge numbers of people very sick in hospital or ICU, or needing massive amounts of oxygen like they did last year and the year before.
Speaking on RTÉ's Drivetime, Prof McConkey said Covid has changed, particularly in those who are vaccinated.
"I’d still encourage all the folk who are not yet vaccinated to get vaccinated, that makes it much milder," he said.
"Given all the other horrible things that are going on around us it’s not a sort of national priority at this stage, but for the unfortunate people that have it, particularly if the immunocompromised are not vaccinated, it’s still an individual worry for those individuals."
