The Irish ambassador to the United States is telling Irish students in the country to return home as soon as they can.

Ambassador Dan Mulhall posted a message to Twitter on Monday night.

The US has the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the world, according research by John Hopkins University.

The country had almost 165,000 cases of the virus as of Tuesday morning.

While New York is considered an epicentre of the US outbreak, recording some 914  deaths.

Ambassador Daniel Mulhall has said Irish citizens who want to leave should do so now.

He said: "I know how reluctant you will be to alter your plans and go back to Ireland.

"But in the current circumstances our best advice to you is that you should go back to Ireland.

"There are still flights from a number of US cities - and reluctantly, I would suggest to you that you ought to contact your airline to check on flight availability and make your way back to Ireland as soon as possible".

Advice to Irish J1 visa holders in the USA. I spent a summer in Kansas City & know how enjoyable and beneficial an experience it is. In current circumstances, the best advice I can give you is to return home as soon as you can. Contact your airline about flight options. pic.twitter.com/5nO6je8tdF

— Daniel Mulhall (@DanMulhall) March 30, 2020

His advice echoes that of the Irish Government last week.

The Department of Foreign Affairs said: "The spread of COVID-19 virus is becoming more serious each day, putting the population at increasing risk.

"We are advising those on short-term visas who risk losing employment, financial security and access to health care to return to Ireland."

In a travel advisory, it added:"In the past two weeks we have advised those in the United States who wish to return home to make arrangements to do so as soon as possible."

Those who are still there are being reminded that flights continue to operate directly to Dublin from New York, Boston, Chicago and San Francisco.