Galway Bay fm newsroom - There are now 40 clusters of Covid 19 cases in nursing homes across the country.
The government's expected to announce new measures later aimed at tackling the outbreaks.
Meanwhile, almost a thousand healthcare workers in the Republic have now tested positive for Covid 19.
New HSE figures also show 148 people are being treated in intensive care units - most of them are under 65.
There are now over 4,200 cases of coronavirus here and 120 people have died.
Chief Medical Officer, Dr Tony Holohan, says healthcare staff now account for a quarter of cases but the majority didn't pick it up while at work.
The Chief Medical Officer also says the next 7 to 10 days will be "crucial" for knowing when the corona-virus will be at its peak in Ireland.
