Almost half of Scotland's care homes have reported cases of suspected Covid-19 among residents.
New figures released by the Scottish Government show that 42 per cent of service providers have registered some form of outbreak.
As of yesterday (April 18), a total of 459 homes had reported at least one suspected case of the virus at some point.
The Government said it was "important to note that not all of these care homes will still have outbreaks".
They added: "Additional data will be published shortly on the number that currently have outbreaks."
A total of 7,342 staff, or around 4.4 per cent of the NHS workforce, are also reporting as absent due to a range of reasons related to COVID-19.
It comes after a week in which a number of care facilities registered multiple deaths at the hands of the disease.
Berelands Care Home in Prestwick has recorded 20 deaths, while nine residents died at Clydebank's Hill View Home.
Eleven residents lost their lives after displaying symptoms of the virus at Elderslie Nursing Home in Paisley.
Five residents at Wyndwell Nursing Home in Peterhead also died, while four passed away at Ayr's Glenfairn Care Home.
Previous care home outbreaks have resulted in the deaths of residents at Burlington Court Care Home, Cranhill; Almond Court, Drumchapel; Castle View Care Home, Dumbarton; and Tranent Care Home, East Lothian.
Earlier this week, it was revealed that a quarter of Scotland's coronavirus deaths had occurred in care homes.
