The Taoiseach said 2022 will see "greater advances" in the fight against the virus.
23,281 new cases of Covid-19 have been reported in Ireland on New Year's Day, the highest daily case total since the pandemic began.
The Department of Health said in a statement that as of 8am on Saturday, 656 patients with the virus are hospitalised, of which 85 are in intensive care.
https://twitter.com/roinnslainte/status/1477257679932473349
"Given the current high incidence, the daily case number is based on positive SARS-CoV-2 results uploaded to the HSE Covid Care Tracker the preceding day. These data are provisional," it added.
"The HPSC and surveillance partners will continue to notify and process cases and outbreaks of Covid-19 on CIDR over this period."
The figures come as Taoiseach Micheál Martin took to Twitter on New Year's Day to say that 2022 will see "greater advances" as part of efforts to tackle the virus.
"2021 was a difficult year for Ireland, and the world, as we faced and met the ongoing challenge of Covid-19," he said.
"Wishing everyone a happy and productive 2022, a year where we will see even greater advances in our fight against this pandemic."
https://twitter.com/MichealMartinTD/status/1477242039867625472
Main image via Julien Behal Photography / RollingNews.ie
