The HSE chief executive says an increasing number of people are not answering calls from Covid-19 contact-tracers.
Paul Reid says it's a 'concerning trend' because they are a valuable resource to protect people against the virus.
Contact-tracers identify people who were in close contact with someone who has Covid.
765 cases of the virus were confirmed yesterday, but fewer tests were carried in the days around Christmas.
There were 23 new cases reported in Donegal yesterday, 13 in Sligo and less than 5 in Leitrim.
The Irish College Of General Practitioners' Covid Lead, Dr Nuala O'Connor, says GP out of hours services have been very busy:
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It's also been confirmed that 409 people are in hospital with Covid-19 today - the highest in over seven months.
It's 49 more than yesterday, after 36 patients were admitted in the space of 24 hours. There are 27 people in Letterkenny University Hospital, 2 of those patients are in the ICU unit. There are 2 people being treated for Covid-19 in Sligo university Hospital.
The peak during the second wave, in October, was 354, and NPHET says hospitalisations are increasing 'earlier and faster' in the third wave.
Taoiseach Micheal Martin is urging the public to redouble their efforts:
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