A further 6,110 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in the Republic, along with six more deaths.

This brings the total number of cases here to 107,997, while the total number of deaths stands at 2,265.

Of the 6,110 cases, 3,655 occurred in Dublin, 323 in Kildare, 291 in Cork, 234 in Limerick and 137 in Louth.

As of 2pm on Monday, there were 776 patients with COVID-19 in hospital, 70 of whom were in ICU. There had been 92 additional hospitalisations in the past 24 hours.

According to Prof Philip Nolan, chair of NPHET's Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group, scenario models raise the possibility of up to 2,000 people in hospital and up to 400 people in ICU by mid-January, "if we do not act to radically reduce transmission and incidence".

"It will take all of us, adopting the public health measures of staying home and reducing contacts, to suppress current levels of disease," he commented.

The HSE is introducing curtailments in non-essential services in adult hospitals in an attempt to deal with the rising number of COVID cases. According to the HSE's national director of acute operations, Liam Woods, this will be subject to "ongoing review".

"In the event of an emergency, attend an Emergency Department as usual and if you have any concerns regarding your health, COVID or non COVID-related, always contact your GP in the first instance," he said.

According to the chief medical officer, Dr Tony Holohan, "leaders and organisations in communities across the country now need to support their colleagues, neighbours, family and friends to keep to the spirit of public health advice".

"We must restrict our movements. We have to limit the people we interact with outside of our households if we are to suppress the virus and sustain our essential services," he said.

The national 14-day incidence rate in the 14 days up to midnight on January 3 was 582.8, however eight counties were above this, with Monaghan the worst affected, at 1,119.1

Wickow had the lowest 14-day incidence up to January 3, at 273.1.

The positivity rate in COVID tests rose from 5.3% on December 21 to 25.3% on January 3.

Ireland is now is level 5 of the Government's COVID plan. For more information on this, click here.