Four cases of coronavirus confirmed in west of Ireland

FOUR cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in the west of Ireland, bringing the total number of cases on the island of Ireland to nine.

The patients, two male and two female, are all associated with travel from the same affected area in northern Italy, RTÈ News is reporting.

It is believed they are members of the same family.

Media reports are suggesting the case has occurred in Co. Clare.

Dr. Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer with the Department of Health, said: "Tonight we can confirm there are now six cases of COVID-19 in Ireland.

"Contact tracing is underway for these four new cases.

He added the four patients are being treated in an isolated ward in a west of Ireland hospital.

Dr Ronan Glynn, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, said: “There is still no evidence of widespread or sustained community transmission in Ireland, as seen in some other EU countries.

“While we now have six confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the Republic of Ireland, we continue our containment efforts, central to which is that the public know what to do in the event they have symptoms.”

According to the Irish Times, the development has major implications for the current containment strategy being followed by public health officials.

The tracing of contacts of all four confirmed cases is likely to begin immediately, but is likely to pose a far greater challenges than in the two individual cases reported in the Republic up to now, the newspaper suggested.