Residents at a nursing home in Co Cork received some much-appreciated Easter treats from a local pharmaceutical company.
A special delivery of essential personal protective equipment (PPE) and an assortment of Easter Eggs were delivered to Cramers Court Nursing Home in Belgooly, Kinsale from Thermo Fisher Scientific.
Community gardaí helped staff from Thermo Fisher Scientific, which is located in Currabinny, Carrigaline, bring the personal protective equipment and the chocolate treats to the staff and residents at the nursing home.
"We are delighted with this incredibly kind gesture. Thermo Fisher Scientific rallying behind Cramers Court by providing essential PPE and Easter Eggs was a tremendous show of community spirit and we thank them for it," said Teresa O'Donovan, activities coordinator.
"Having this special delivery escorted by the Community gardaí meant there was great excitement across the home, and we felt it was thoroughly deserving of a guard of honour by staff.”
The delivery of PPE comes as the HSE confirmed 57 clusters of Covid-19 in nursing homes nationwide.
Of the confirmed clusters, 41 are in the east of the country, with the rest being reported in other parts of the country, but not in the north-east.
The number of clusters in hospitals has increased from 37 to 43, with a total of 1,163 healthcare workers infected with coronavirus; foreign travel accounts for only 101 of these cases.
There is also a growing number of outbreaks in residential institutions, where 26 clusters have now been reported. Of these, 18 are in the east.