Health officials will this week double the number of COVID-19 tests carried out every day.

The HSE said its network of community test centres and labs around the country has now been set up.

It has also managed to secure a supply of the reagent needed to carry out the tests, despite an apparent shortage around the world.

Officials said there now is the capacity to carry out 4,500 a day moving forward.

Dr Cillian De Gascun, Chair of the Coronavirus Expert Advisory Group, speaking at an update on COVID-19 in Miesian Plaza, Dublin, 14-03-2020. Image: Sam Boal/RollingNews

On The Pat Kenny Show, Cillian De Gascun, Chair of the Coronavirus Expert Advisory Group, said we may not be able to lift restrictions until testing improves.

“We are not where we want to be from the point of view of testing,” he said.

“So, until we can get testing back to the level where we want it to be we are probably in a situation where it might be premature to lift restrictions when the testing is not in a position where we can completely and accurately describe the circulation of the virus within the community.”

The Chair of the COVID-19 expert advisory group Dr Cillian De Gascun (L) with Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan and Depty Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn (R) at a coronavirus briefing in Dublin, 14-03-2020. Image: Sam Boal/RollingNews

As of yesterday, there were nearly 5,000 confirmed cases of the virus around the country.

Meanwhile, there have been 158 virus-related deaths since the outbreak began.

As of Friday night, there were over 230 clusters of the virus around the country – 57 of them in nursing homes.

The median age of people who have picked up the virus is 48-year-old, while the median age of patients who have died in 81-years-old.

However, 11 babies have had the infection along with 13 people aged between one and four-years-old and 35 people aged between 5 and 14-years-old.

More than half the confirmed cases are women and more than a quarter are healthcare workers.

Just over a quarter of patients diagnosed with the virus have been taken to hospital, while 165 have been taken to intensive care.

Experts have said this week will provide critical insight into how Ireland is responding to the virus.