That's according to an infectious disease expert.
Public health officials have expressed concern after 429 cases of Covid-19 were reported yesterday. including 20 in Cork.
It was hoped the rate of infection would remain steady over the month of December but the 14 day incidence rate is now 84 per 100,000, up from a low of 78.
Infectious Disease Specialist Professor Sam McConkey says almost every county has seen an increase in cases in recent days.
"Initially when I heard it I said- one number you can't base public policy on one number- as we've heard before from other wise people. And then I looked at the breakdown and shockingly the increase in cases is almost in 23 or 24 of the counties in Ireland. So it's a very consistent increase everywhere. This is not just one big outbreak of 200 cases in a factory. This is an incremental rise, all over the country."
