(Reuters) – Ireland’s National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) recommended to the government on Sunday that the country be moved to the highest level of COVID-19 restrictions and return to a full lockdown, national broadcaster RTE reported.

NPHET made the recommendation to move to Level 5 restrictions in a letter sent to government, RTE said. All of Ireland’s 26 counties are currently on Level 2 with the exception of Dublin and Donegal, which are under stricter Level 3 controls.

Under level 5, people are asked to stay at home, except to exercise within 5 kilometres of their home, with no gatherings other than small numbers at funerals and weddings allowed. A spokesperson for the health department was not immediately available for comment.

(Reporting by Padraic Halpin; Editing by Giles Elgood)

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