An 82-year-old man who has recovered from Covid-19 says being diagnosed felt like a death sentence.
Tom Gunn from Co. Tipperary served for years with the Defence Forces, was deployed in the Congo and survived the siege of Jadotville.
He says tackling the virus was the biggest challenge he faced.
He said: "Well I was two days in isolation in a ward on my own, and waiting for the test, and when I got the result, at my age this was the death sentence.
"So then you have to try and gather yourself together and fight it off, and definitely all whole life appears in front of you, 'Did you do this, did you do that,' it's a frightening experience.
"I was in Jadotville which was a picnic compared to this [coronavirus]."
Meanwhile, Nursing Homes Ireland said the Government did not prioritise the sector and were "late to the table" in recognising the threat of Covid-19 to the sector.
40 clusters of Covid-19 infections have been identified in the country - mainly in the east of the country.
The group has however welcomed the announcement yesterday of financial support to the care homes and the plan for staff to be checked for Covid-19 symptoms.
