It’s estimated that 1.9 million people in the Republic will fall ill with the virus, although the vast majority will make a good recovery, the HSE has said.
The health authority says that the risk of catching the virus here is still low to moderate and the best defence is still regular, careful handwashing.
To be considered a close contact, according to the HSE, a person would need to spend 15 minutes or more with someone infected with the virus and that within 1 to 2 meters.
There are no new cases in the Mid West. The new cases in the Republic involve a man in the south of the country and a woman in the east. The woman has who has an underlying condition and is seriously ill.
Both cases are community transmissions and not cases involving people who returned recently from at-risk areas.
The risk of catching coronavirus in Ireland is still low to moderate, according to the HSE.
