Main points

10 new Covid-19 cases confirmed in Ireland today. 34 cases in total

There are now 50 cases on the island of Ireland - 34 here, 16 in the North

Department of Education says schools Read More: will not close

will not close Two members of staff at Read More: Ervia in Cork test positive; One memeber of staff Read More: at Apple in Cork tests postive

Ervia in Cork test positive; One memeber of staff at Apple in Cork tests postive Irish Cancer Society Read More: cancels all Daffodil Day street collections

cancels all Daffodil Day street collections Republic of Ireland's Euro 2020 play-off Read More: to be played behind closed doors

to be played behind closed doors Ryanair and Aer Lingus cancel flights to Italy

Trinity to deliver online lectures for the rest of the semester

Kingston Mills, Professor of Experimental Immunology at Trinity College Dublin has warned that if Covid-19 is a seasonal virus like the flu, it could return in the autumn.

If it turns out to be seasonal and goes away when the weather warms up, it could come back next autumn, he told Newstalk Breakfast.

Hopes that there could be a vaccine by then are slim, he added as it takes up to a year to trial and manufacture a vaccine.

Prof Mills also said that flights to and from Italy should have been stopped 10 days ago and he questioned why Ryanair will continue to fly to Italy until Friday of this week.

The immunology expert welcomed the cancellation of the St Patrick’s Day parades.

Prof Mills predicted that other countries like France, Germany and Spain will soon be considered high-risk zones as the number of people infected with the virus rises.