BREAKING: Record number of new cases of Covid-19 reported in Ireland

A NEW record number of daily cases of Covid-19 have been reported across Ireland by the Department of Health.

It says the Health Protection Surveillance Centre has been notified of 23,281 confirmed cases of the disease, this New Year's Day.

The previous record daily total of 20,554 was reported on December 30.

Meanwhile, the Department of Health says there were 656 Covid-19 patients in hospitals across the country at 8am this Saturday, of which 85 were in ICU.

Walk in Covid-19 booster clinics open in Limerick this New Year's Day

This compares to 682 patients with 86 in ICU at the same time on Friday.