Seven new cases of Covid-19 confirmed in Ireland

SEVEN new cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in the Republic of Ireland this evening, bringing the total number to 13.

RTÈ News is reporting four of the cases are related to travel from Northern Italy - four males from the east of the country.

Two of the cases are associated with close contact with a confirmed case - two females in the west of the country.

One case of community transmission - a male in the south of the country - is associated with Cork University Hospital, and a risk assessment is under way. 

The patient is being treated at the Intensive Care Unit at CUH.

It is believed the patient has an underlying medical condition. It is understood this individual had not been in northern Italy or any other infected region.

In a statement, the HSE said it is now working rapidly to identify any contacts the patients may have had, to provide them with information and advice to prevent further spread.

Chief Medical Officer with the Department of Health, Dr Tony Holohan, said Ireland remains in a containment phase, with just one case of community transmission.

Dr Holohan said however that this is rapidly evolving situation, and public health doctors are working to ensure containment measures are operating effectively.

Meanwhile, one of the earlier confirmed cases in the Republic, in the west of the country, is a healthcare professional.

The male is a member of a family group of four in the west of the country who had recently travelled to northern Italy.

The Health Service Executive said today that the process of tracing close contacts of the infected family group is well under way.

It is understood this includes contacting patients who may have come in contact with the healthcare professional as part of his work.

Contact tracing has also been made slightly more complicated because of the number of people who travelled in the family group.

A small number of schools in the region have closed today as a result.

The HSE has clarified the rules for healthcare professionals who come back to Ireland from travelling in areas affected by the coronavirus.

HSE Specialist in Public Healthcare Medicine Dr.Sarah Doyle told a press conference in Dublin that healthcare professionals will now be asked not to return to work for 14 days after travelling to such regions, depending on where they have been.

Dr. Doyle said this was because health professionals interact with vulnerable patients and it was important to minimise risks.

Almost all have been associated with travel from northern Italy, which has been the hardest hit area in Europe.

Around 80% of cases of Covid-19 will be a mild to moderate illness, close to 14% have severe disease and around 6% are critical.

Generally, you need to be 15 minutes or more in the vicinity of an infected person, within 1-2 metres, to be considered at-risk or a close contact.