The first case of the COVID-19 Coronavirus was confirmed on the island of Ireland this week.
A person carrying the infection arrived into Dublin Airport from Italy and then travelled to Northern Ireland.
As a result, the HSE has contacted everyone that was on the same flight as this patient.
Specific Advice Has Been Given
While Dr John Cuddihy says those sitting within two rows of the woman were given specific advice:
"Those people self-isolate at home."
"They have active monitoring on a daily basis, by public health, just to make sure they haven't developed symptoms."
If you have returned from a country or region with spread of COVID-19 (#coronavirus) visit our website for advice. https://t.co/29felTHXMn pic.twitter.com/0UPKgJ25L4
— HSE Ireland (@HSELive) February 27, 2020
HSE Measures
All other passengers have been notified and given more general advice.
The HSE says it will not be introducing any further measures, despite the confirmation of the first case of Coronavirus on this island.
Therefore Chief Medical Officer Dr. Tony Holohan says they definitely will not be screening people at Dublin airport:
"It simply doesn't work."
"It's not effective and it'd be a waste of resources."
Harris Slams Social Media Hysteria
Meanwhile, Health Minister Simon Harris is fuming with unconfirmed reports online.
Above all, he says information about the Coronavirus should come from health experts only.
"Can we please stop, every time there's a suspect case - where somebody is in a hospital getting tested - being told that the coronavirus is in that hospital."
"I can tell you if I showed you my phone, the amount of texts I have received in the last few days telling me X hospital is in lockdown."
"Last night on Twitter we saw a rumour and a video that a certain hotel was in lockdown, that proved not to be true."
Learn about hand hygiene and preventing the spread of Covid-19 (#Coronavirus) pic.twitter.com/ZEvMIbt3ZE
— HSE Ireland (@HSELive) February 28, 2020
In addition information from Dublin Airport is available here.
