There have been 1,837 new cases of Covid-19 confirmed in the Republic, the Department of Health has said.
There are 208 Covid-19 patients in hospital, including 31 in intensive care units.
It comes as new data showed that Covid is spreading more widely among young people aged between 16 and 34.
The Delta variant is continuing to spread through the largely unvaccinated population.
Just 3 per cent of cases of coronavirus are now in people aged 65 and over, the State’s deputy chief medical officer said.
Dr Ronan Glynn said the incidence of Covid in Ireland is currently high.
“There remains significant uncertainty in terms of the underlying trends, including the potential effect of the recent August Bank Holiday weekend on case numbers and referral patterns,” he warned.
“With over 18,000 cases in the last fortnight, Ireland’s 14-day incidence rate has now increased to 386 per 100,000 population, the highest it has been since the start of February.
“Incidence remains particularly high, above 500 per 100,000, in Donegal, Louth, Galway, Mayo and Monaghan.
“Although the link between cases and severe disease has been substantially weakened through vaccination, it has not been completely broken and, unfortunately, due to the high incidence, we continue to see an increasing number of people in hospital, with about 190 inpatients at present, approximately 30 of whom are in critical care.
“We are experiencing a high level of disease and the outlook over the coming days is uncertain.
“What is not uncertain is that we can alter the course of this disease through the simple measures that we are so familiar with.
“What there is also no uncertainty about is the phenomenal uptake of Covid vaccines by people of all ages across Ireland.”
Just 3% of cases of #COVID19 are now in people aged 65 years and older.
Incidence of #COVID19 is highest in those aged 16-34 years of age.
🦠ℹ️👇👇pic.twitter.com/Dht585t4ZE— Dr Ronan Glynn (@ronan_glynn) August 8, 2021
Around 90 per cent of people over the age of 16 have registered to receive a coronavirus vaccination.
On Thursday, children aged between 12 and 15 can register to receive their first jab.
This weekend saw another 5,000 people visit the HSE walk-in vaccine centres dotted around the country.
HSE chief executive Paul Reid said 89 per cent of the population is partially vaccinated.
Ireland has the second highest rate of vaccine uptake in the European Union.
Mr Reid said: “Our walk-in vaccination centres continue today. So far this weekend another 5,000 people have availed of them to receive their first vaccination.
“Now over 89% of adults are partially vaccinated and over 77% fully. We’re getting there.”
