All corners of Clare have been hit with cases of Coronavirus it has emerged while there have 245 deaths in Irish nursing homes.

A geographical spread of cases was released by the Department of Health on Thursday morning which for the first time gives an indication as to where in Clare the people recovering from the virus are based.

Although no exact locations are given in the map published by the Department, it reveals that of the 9,769 samples examined from Monday night (those from German labs are not included), the virus has hit the entire county.

With the largest proportion of the population, it comes as no surprise that Ennis accounts for the most amount of cases in the one area. Similarly, Shannon appears to have the second highest amount of individuals diagnosed in the county with individuals also diagnosed in neighbouring Sixmilebridge, Newmarket-on-Fergus, Bunratty and Cratloe.

Cases are spread throughout the county in locations such as Carrigaholt, Kilkee, Mullagh, Spanish Point in the west, Lahinch, Ennistymon, Inagh and Liscannor up north. People have been diagnosed in Killaloe, Scariff and Tulla, correspondence from the Department has outlined.

Figures from Wednesday showed that Clare accounted for 1% of the 12,547 cases in the Republic of Ireland.

University Hospital Limerick is currently dealing with the most amount of suspected cases in the country (57). No detail has been provided on whether these individuals are from Co Clare, Limerick or Tipperary.

Present restrictions on public movement are in place until May 5th with an extension likely. Any reduction in the measures will be carried out gradually.

Speaking in the Dáil on Thursday, Minister for Health Simon Harris (FG) confirmed that 245 people have died in nursing homes, 28 in community hospitals and 17 in residential institutions. He was asked by Róisin Shorthall (SD) for the breakdown in deaths by residential settings.