Advice: The HSE’s Liam Woods and Department of Health chief medical officer Tony Holohan at a briefing on coronavirus. Photo: Gareth Chaney, Collins

THE FIRST case of coronavirus has been confirmed in the Republic of Ireland.

The Health Protection Surveillance Centre was informed of the confirmed case of Covid-19 today.

Public health officials in the Department of Health are due to announce more details later tonight.

The patient, a male in the eastern part of the country, is currently receiving "appropriate medical care".

The case is associated with travel from an affected area in northern Italy, rather than contact with another confirmed case in Northern Ireland.

Anyone that has been in contact with the patient will already have been informed by health officials.

Dr Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer with the Department of Health, said: “This is not unexpected. We have been preparing for this eventuality for many weeks now.

“Public health protocols have been in place since January and are operating effectively.

Read More

“The health service is well used to managing infectious diseases and has robust response measures in place.”

At a hastily convened press conference at the Department of Health tonight, which got underway around 9.45pm, Dr Holohan said the likelihood of more cases of Covid-19 happening in Ireland was "moderate to high."

He said it was the experience of other countries where there were already confirmed cases was that the chances of more cases were "moderate to high."

He said the man who is the first case in the Republic had returned to Ireland from northern Italy. He praised the man for following the official advice of coming forward when he noticed he had symptoms.

He refused to inform the small number of journalists of any personal details of the man or any details of his travel or movements.

He declined to say if he was on the same flight from Italy as the woman from Northern Ireland who flew into Dublin from northern Italy and who was later diagnosed having presented to medical teams in the North.

Dr Holohan said it was vital that anyone who has been to affected areas and who has symptoms that they have confidence that their privacy will be tightly safeguarded by health authorities.

Unless people are assured of privacy, they will not come forward to be tested, he said.

Fending off a barrage of questions seeking more information about the individual's circumstances and medical care, he said "we have nothing to hide" but we had "something to protect", which was the man's privacy. The trust of potentially infected persons was vital for the health authorities to be effective, he said.

He refused to say if a second airline cabin crew would need to go into isolation the same way as the original crew on the woman's flight.

Dr John Cuddihy, director of the Health Protection Survellience Centre, said the process was beginning to contact all the people whom the man had been in close contact with since his return from Northern Italy.

The man returned to Ireland within the last 14 days.

Dr Cuddihy said public health doctors were very experienced in tracing the contacts of people with infectious diseases. They had begun this process in this case but he would not state any information about the individuals being sought.

Dr Ronan Glynn, deputy chief medical officer of the Department of Health, confirmed that the man was now receiving treatment for his Coved-19 infection but he declined to identify where it was taking place. He said any hospital in the State had the facilities to treat an infectious person in isolation conditions.

Dr Glynn said the vast majority of people diagnosed with the virus around the world had only very mild symptoms. There was a small proportion whose condition became serious but the "vast majority" would only experience mild symptoms.

Dr Holohan said that there was "extremely low" likelihood of anyone in Ireland becoming infected if they have not visited an infection region of the world.

In a statement earlier this evening, Dr Cuddihy said: "The HSE is now working rapidly to identify any contacts the patient may have had, to provide them with information and advice to prevent further spread.

“It is important to note that the risk of transmission through casual contact is low."

Health Minister Simon Harris has been informed and has notified the Taoiseach.

Speaking today, Minister Harris said: "This is not unexpected. We have been preparing for this since January.

"I would strongly encourage people to follow the guidance and advice of the National Public Health Emergency Team, led by the Chief Medical Officer."

Over 100 tests have been carried out on people in the Republic so far.

It is the second case of coronavirus on the island of Ireland, after the first case in Northern Ireland was confirmed earlier this week.

The woman had arrived at Dublin Airport from northern Italy before travelling to Belfast by train.

It is understood she has been treated at home.

People who sat within two rows of the person on the plane from northern Italy to Dublin were contacted.

The woman followed advice in reporting concerns to a GP and "self-isolated" at home whilst awaiting the results of testing.

The HSE are advising anyone who knows they have been in close contact with a confirmed case in the last 14 days and has symptoms (cough, shortness of breath, fever) should:

isolate themselves from other people - this means going into a different, well-ventilated room, with a phone

phone their GP, or emergency department - if this is not possible, phone 112, or 999

in a medical emergency (if you have severe symptoms) phone 112 or 999

Symptoms of the coronavirus include a cough, shortness of breath, fever and breathing difficulties.

The number of people sickened by the virus climbed to more than 85,000 globally on Saturday and there were more than 2,850 deaths, most of them in China.

Schools and universities will stay closed for a second consecutive week in three northern Italian regions in an effort to contain Europe's worst outbreak of coronavirus.

Italy's neighbours are also taking measures to contain the spread of the virus. France on Saturday put a temporary ban on public gatherings with more than 5,000 people, while Switzerland on Friday banned events expected to draw more than 1,000.

Online Editors