There are now almost 300 COVID-19 clusters around the country.

The Health Protection Surveillance Centre said that as of midnight on Monday, there were 299 clusters involving 1,288 cases.

It comes after it was revealed that the number of cases in nursing homes had more than doubled from 40 to 86 in a matter of days.

On Newstalk Breakfast, Mervin Taylor from vulnerable adult support service Sage Advocacy said HIQA must set minimum standards for medical cover in nursing homes.

“That will have to be paid for and I make this point strongly because there is no point in moral outrage about the flaws of any sector if we are not going to follow through and put our money where our mouth is,” he said.

The death toll from Covid-19 has risen to 235 after a further 25 patients were confirmed dead yesterday.

Meanwhile 365 new cases have been confirmed, bringing the national total to 6,074.

One quarter of all confirmed cases have been hospitalised – with 224 people admitted to intensive care.

More than a quarter (1,568) of confirmed cases are healthcare workers and more than half are women.

More than half the confirmed cases in the country are in Dublin at 3,268 with the 431 cases in Cork giving it the second-highest figure in the country.

The median age of the patients who have died is 80 while the median age of confirmed cases is 48-years-old.

Meanwhile the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has warned that it is too early for countries to begin lifting COVID-19 restrictions.

It said the risk of severe disease associated with COVID-19 in Europe is considered moderate for the general population and very high for vulnerable groups.

The Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan has said Ireland’s restrictions are based on ECDC guidance.

He said officials expect them to remain in place as they are in the short term.