The chief medical officer says the rising number of Covid-19 patients in hospital is a 'cause for concern'.
The figure has risen by 38 per cent over the past two weeks, and now stands at 54.
397 new cases were also reported yesterday, with 16 Covid patients in intensive care.
Dr Tony Holohan says the recent increase in hospitalisations comes less than two weeks after cases started to rise.
Professor Gerry Killeen, a virus expert in UCC, and co-founder of I-SAG which advocates for Zero-Covid, says more restrictions are needed.
"We may need some intercounty travel restrictions. We may need some locally targeted responses. The existing outbreaks of Delta we have need to be reeled in.
"Our outdoor dining - some of that's gonna need to be more tightly regulated, I've seen quiet a lot of that in tents, which is basically indoors outdoors.
"I think we've really got to ask the question about non essential use of hotels and guest houses and B and Bs."
