Second Irish case of coronavirus confirmed

A SECOND case of coronavirus has been confirmed in Ireland tonight.

It concerns a female in the east of Ireland who travelled from northern Italy. 

Up to yesterday, 397 people had been tested and the results have been negative. The exceptions are the two confirmed cases.

The Department of Health said it was notified only this evening of the new case and the process of tracing contacts and notifying those contacts has begun. It is not giving any more details.

The first confirmed case was on Saturday when a male teenager from a school in the east of the country was diagnosed.

He had just returned from northern Italy.

At a Department of Health press briefing this evening, the Chief Medical Officer Tony Holohan said he sees no reason why, as things now stand, that the St Patrick's festival should not go ahead

He also said the government is changing advice on non-essential travel to northern Italy.

It is now advising against travel to the four affected provinces, previously it was to nine named towns.

Dr Holohan said the expert group is looking at stepping up preparations in acute hospitals and protections for healthcare workers.

He said arrangements are now being made for the testing of people in the community to take pressure off the hospitals.

He said there will be a senior officials' group meeting of a new Cabinet sub-committee tomorrow.