Over 60 Covid-19 cases have been identified at two nursing homes owned by the same company.
It comes amid fears for other facilities around the country as Covid-19 cases continue to rise.
31 cases at Kilminchy Lodge nursing home in Laois have been identified, as well as 30 at Brindley Manor Nursing Home in Donegal. The infections have been detected among residents and staff.
The owner of Brindley Healthcare has said families of residents will regularly be updated on the situation, while saying the two outbreaks are separate and not linked in anyway by staff or residents transferring.
On Sunday, in his letter to Health Minister Stephen Donnelly, Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan raised the issue of cases within nursing homes as part of the rationale for moving the country to Level 5 Covid-19 restrictions. At the time he said there were 31 open clusters in the facilities with at least 45 cases.
