75 residential care homes have been designated as being at a "status red" risk level amid the ongoing coronavirus crisis.

To date, there have been 197 COVID-19 clusters in nursing homes and a further 110 in other residential institutions.

The HSE is currently supporting 425 long-term residential care facilities amid the ongoing health crisis.

221 are considered to be in stable situation after some minimal interventions, and have therefore been been given a 'status green' risk level.

129 require 'significant' enhanced supports and are 'status amber'.

However, 75 are considered as being at a 'significant risk' and therefore designated as status red.

Speaking at a HSE press briefing this morning, chief operations officer Anne O'Connor explained what it means for a nursing home to be considered as status red.

She said: "For us, what that would indicate is that they're particularly challenged, for example, in relation to having enough staff... they would be the sites where we have deployed a high number of staff.

"For us, though, I think it's inevitable as the testing is rolled out across the nursing homes we will see more outbreaks identified.

"The challenge is to identify the nursing homes that have a critical need for a high level of support."

Support being provided to homes include tele-advice on infection support to providing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

Meanwhile, 119 of the HSE's community staff have been deployed to private nursing homes, while "many staff within the HSE" have been deployed to support community hospitals and nursing units.

100 acute staff - described as 'boot on the ground' workers - have also been redeployed to support residential homes.

Ms O'Connor also noted that HSE staff are redeployed within the Executive's own facilities 'on a continuing basis', and the numbers can differ from day to day.

CEO Paul Reid also said they've 'effectively taken over' the running of some private homes, and suggested that 'single numbers' don't do justice to the resources being provided.

It comes as the HSE this weekend confirmed that 21 people with COVID-19 have died at one of its care homes in Dublin since the beginning of the outbreak.

St Mary's Hospital in the Phoenix Park provides care to older people and is home to 198 residents.

The HSE and Health Minister Simon Harris have offered their sympathies to the families of those who've passed and to staff working there.