The COVID-19 death toll in the Republic now stands at 571 after a further 41 deaths were reported in the past 24 hours.

There are now 14,758 confirmed cases after 778 more were announced this evening.

Twenty-three of the patients reported as dead this evening were men and 23 were women.

All were suffering from underlying health conditions.

Some 35 of the deaths were recorded in the east, two in the north west and four in the west.

Fifty-seven percent of the patients that have died to date were men and 43% were women.

Their ages range from 23 to 105-years-old.

Some 330 were admitted to hospital with their symptoms and 46 were admitted to intensive care.

Confirmed cases

As of midnight on Thursday, there were 454 clusters of the virus around the country, involving 2,946 cases.

More than 2,000 (16%) have been admitted to hospital for their symptoms with 296 admitted to intensive care.

Just under one quarter of the confirmed cases in the country are associated with healthcare workers.

Just over half picked up the virus in the community in Ireland, while 43% were known to be in contact with a previously diagnosed case.

One in twenty had recently travelled abroad.

Dublin accounts for half the confirmed cases in the country, followed by Cork which has 7%.

Residential care

It comes as officials begin a census of the deaths recorded in the country’s long-term residential care facilities this year.

Residents and staff in every care home in the state will also be tested for the virus in the coming days.

There have been 335 outbreaks of the virus in residential care settings around the country, including 196 in nursing homes.

Meanwhile, more than half the country’s COVID-19 deaths have been recorded in nursing homes.

The national health watchdog HIQA is stepping up inspections of residential care homes next week.

Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan on his mobile phone near Government Buildings Dublin, 18-04-2020. Image: Leah Farrell/RollingNews.

Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan said: "This week the National Public Health Emergency Team emphasised the importance of testing in interrupting the transmission of COVID-19 in community residential settings including nursing homes.

“This sector remains a priority for our focused attention and we will continue to monitor and support them through this outbreak.”

Island of Ireland

Meanwhile, 193 people have now died in the North, taking the island of Ireland total to 764

There are 17,244 confirmed cases north and south of the border.