Ireland’s risk of exposure to COVID-19 was stepped up to ‘moderate to high’ late last night.

The Department of Health issued the warning from the National Public Health Emergency Team just before midnight.

The notification states that, following the outbreak of COVID-19 cases in Italy, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) now rates the risk of the occurrence of similar clusters of cases in other EU countries as ‘moderate to high’.

In response, the National Public Health Emergency Team will meet again tomorrow to monitor the situation in Europe and globally, and to advance preparedness plans for Ireland.

Evolving

Dr Tony Holohan (Chief Medical Officer in the Department of Health) said last night that the international situation was “evolving”, and work would continue with counterparts at the ECDC and WHO to fully assess the implications for Ireland. 

“Ireland has been working on its preparedness for Covid-19 (Coronavirus) since January,” he said “We remain in a containment phase and, to date, there have been no confirmed cases of Covid-19 here. 

“Our public health advice currently remains unchanged – anyone who may have been in contact with a person who has COVID-19, or who has been to mainland China in the last 14 days, is advised to contact HSE Live at Callsave: 1850 24 1850 or tel: 041 6850300.

“If they are unwell with [a] cough, especially with respiratory symptoms (cough, high temperature, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, fever), they should isolate themselves and phone their GP immediately.

Symptoms

It can take up to 14 days for symptoms of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) to show.

Symptoms may include:

• A cough,
• Shortness of breath,
• Breathing difficulties,
• Fever (high temperature).

COVID-19 (Coronavirus) can also cause more severe illness, including:

• Pneumonia,
• Shortness of breath,
• Breathing difficulties,
• Fever (high temperature).

Things you can do to protect yourself from getting COVID-19 (Coronavirus) include:

• Wash your hands properly and regularly, with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub,
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough and sneeze.

Wash your hands properly and regularly, particularly:

• after coughing and sneezing,
• after toilet use,
• before eating,
• before and after preparing food,
• if you are in contact with a sick person, especially those with respiratory symptoms,
• if your hands are dirty,
• if you have handled animals or animal waste.

The general public should follow gov.ie/health for daily updates.