Eight patients with COVID-19 died over the Easter bank holiday weekend in a residential centre for older people in Laois, the HSE has confirmed.

A total of nine residents died at the Maryborough Centre for Psychiatry of Old Age, which is part of the St Fintan's Campus in Portlaoise. Eight of these were confirmed to have COVID-19.

Those who died were aged between 66 and 84.

The HSE has said that 17 people who still live in the centre are being closely monitored and are to have their conditions reviewed by consultants from the Regional Hospital in Portlaoise.

It is understood all of the residents died within a short space of time in the centre.

Meanwhile, it has also been confirmed that two healthcare workers at St Luke's Hospital in Kilkenny have died. It is understood that a woman in her 50s who was a member of the household staff, and a man in his 40s who was a healthcare assistant, died within the last two days.

The Ireland East Hospital Group said that while it cannot comment on individual staff, it wished to offer its sincere condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of the workers who had died.