LISTEN - People who sat within two rows of the person from NI infected with Covid-19 contacted

By PA Reporter

People who sat within two rows of the person from Northern Ireland infected with Covid-19 on the plane from northern Italy to Dublin have been contacted, health authorities said.

The woman followed advice in reporting concerns to a GP, and "self isolated" at home whilst awaiting the results of testing.

Here's Health Minister Robin Swann:

Irish health chief Dr John Cuddihy said: "Each of the stages of this person's journey have been identified and all relevant contacts in all of those stages of transport have been contacted (and) traced."

Ireland's Chief Medical Officer, Dr Tony Holohan, and the head of the Health Protection Surveillance Centre, Dr Cuddihy, held a news conference in Dublin to provide details of Ireland's preparedness.

Dr Holohan said they were depending on an individual with symptoms travelling back from an affected area identifying themselves, contacting the local health authorities, and that was what had happened in this particular case.

.@publichealthni is working on a cross-border effort to identify people who may be at higher risk after close contact with a person diagnosed with Coronavirus in NI. They’d traveled from Northern Italy via Dublin. Health Ministers @RobinSwannMoH & @SimonHarrisTD spoke last night. pic.twitter.com/FZX1tgDac9

— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) February 28, 2020

Ireland's Health Minister has met with the environmental health officers at Dublin Airport who are providing information on coronavirus to people flying into the country.

Simon Harris said staff are providing "useful and practical information".

He said: "There's a presence of environmental health officers out here. They are making information available on basic facts you should know as you return to Ireland.

"The feedback from talking to them is this is proving very useful in terms of providing people with the facts, but also reassurance.

"People have lots of questions and they are having an opportunity to ask those questions of those professionals.

"We are also stepping this up and there will be a presence, as appropriate, in all our regional airports from today."

Mr Harris said that public health experts have been working for months to prepare for any cases of Covid-19 in the Republic.

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Mr Harris urged people to get information on coronavirus from public health experts, rather than unofficial sources as he warned the public from spreading misinformation online.

He said: "I would also make the point that it's really important people get their information from reputable public health sources.

"Certainly on my phone, I have received many messages from people saying 'X hospital is in lock-down' or videos going up on Twitter with false information.

"The World Health Organisation has identified the spread of misinformation as one of the greatest challenges in beating this virus, so it's really important we do what we should do here and listen to our public health experts."

#Coronavirus latest: Advice ‘has not changed’ in Northern Ireland after a first case of Covid-19 is confirmed. The patient is said to be receiving specialist care after calling a GP with concerns & self isolating. They had travelled here from Northern Italy via Dublin: 🎥 pic.twitter.com/aNQT4GEsET

— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) February 27, 2020

Asked why the Irish government would not confirm how the woman who tested positive after being in northern Italy travelled from Dublin Airport to her home in Northern Ireland, Mr Harris said they are following "best public health practice".

He added: "We are protecting patient confidentiality and we are operating in accordance with World Health Organisation guidelines.

"So this isn't something we are doing unilaterally, this is best international practice.

"It's not my job to feed the curiosity of people in relation to a patient's journey.

"What is my job, and what is the job of people from a public health perspective, is to reassure people of this - that if you came into close contact with the person with Covid-19 you have been contacted, and you heard the HSE say that very clearly today.

"I actually think considering this was a case that only became known of last night, the fact that early this morning they were able to say anybody who came in close contact had been contacted is a real source of reassurance.

"If you have not heard from the public health authorities in the Republic or the public health authorities in Northern Ireland, you need not be concerned in relation to this case.

"That is the reassurance we are providing to people and that is the right balance in terms of protecting patient confidentiality but also providing that reassurance."