One in four people have begun stockpiling food over the coronavirus, according to new research.

Health officials confirmed on Monday evening that the number of coronavirus cases in Ireland has risen to 24.

Measures are still being taken to restrict the spread of the virus, but a large scale outbreak looks more likely as each day passes.

Supermarkets across the country are dealing with shortages in a number of products as a result of the virus.

The obvious shortages include hand sanitiser and hand soaps as handwashing is still being touted as the best way to stop the spread of the virus.

New iReach suggests that 25% of the population is beginning to stockpile food to combat the unlikely event that there will be food shortages as a result of the virus.

Kantar is also reporting that sales for Irish supermarkets have grown amid the panic of COVID-19.

Among the sales increases is a 15% rise in sales of handwash products, which include the likes of sanitisers.

Charlotte Scott, consumer insight director at Kantar said: ‘We’d expect to see more of an impact towards the end of February and into March, as increased awareness of the virus will likely lead to an uplift in sales of healthcare products.

‘This coupled with the impact of Storm Jorge in late February may well lead to growing sales of goods typically associated with stockpiling like pasta and tinned or frozen food.’