Today's monthly meeting of Mayo County Council was a much smaller event than usual, due to social distancing measures during the Coronavirus outbreak.

Only 9 of the 30 elected councillors were in attendance at Aras an Condae, along with the council Chief Executive and two reporters.

At the start of the meeting, all of those attending took part in a one-minute clap for the frontline staff working during the coronavirus outbreak.

The applause was followed by a one-minute silence to remember the Mayo people who have died from the Covid-19 virus.

In a report issued to Councillors this afternoon, Mayo Co Co said the Covid-19 outbreak in Mayo continues to escalate, particularly in residential care facilities, with new hot spots in the north of the county.

The council says this is a major concern - as is the age profile of our community, and the large number of residential care and retirement homes - both public and private - throughout the county.

The report says adherence to health authority guidelines, including travel and social distancing, will play a major part in determining how quickly the outbreak here can be brought under control.

The latest county breakdown shows there are 312 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Mayo - higher than the neighbouring Co Galway with 283 cases, and 76 in both Roscommon and Sligo.

The Cathaoirleach of the Castlebar Municipal District Michael Kilcoyne says questions need to be answered as to why Mayo has a higher rate of coronavirus, compared to Galway with much larger population.

The Independent Councillor is also asking why the number of staff at Mayo University Hospital with confirmed or suspected cases of Cobid-19 is higher than at any other hospital in the Saolta Group.