Nearly 18,000 more Covid cases were reported last month than during the previous peak in January.
Almost 123,000 were confirmed during November - compared to less than 105,000 in January.
From Friday, overseas travellers to Ireland will require a negative PCR or professionally conducted antigen test, due to the Omicron variant.
Former HSE director-general, Tony O'Brien, says that it's the right decision.
"It is prudent to have a requirement that no one can board a plane or a ferry without knowing their Covid status.
"In other words, we don't want Covid positive people embarking on travel, or arriving into Ireland.
"I think it's a prudent and sensible decision, and with antigen testing it does have to be a professionally carried out antigen test, because a self test is of very limited value in the context of travel."
