IRISHMAN’S MESSAGE OF HOPE
Dad in China says bug ‘will be gone in no time’ as 2nd person dies here
AN Irishman living in China has sent a message of hope home as life returns to normal there after the coronavirus outbreak.
Mark Murray said: “Don’t panic and it will be gone in no time.”
He shared his story as a second person died from Covid-19 here.
LEO Varadkar last night warned Covid-19 is an illness “that knows no borders” as a second death and 39 new cases were confirmed in the Republic.
The Taoiseach’s stark words came ahead of a crisis meeting of the North-south Ministerial Council – as the US closed its borders to Irish visitors and six European countries were ruled out of bounds.
There are now 129 cases in the Republic, 29 male and 10 female, with a further 34 in the North.
News of a second victim – a male patient in the east of the country – came just hours after the HSE coronavirus helpline crashed as it couldn’t cope with the level of calls.
At a briefing yesterday, the Department of Health revealed 21 of the new patients are in the east, 13 are in the south, three are in the north-west and two are in the west. Department chief Dr Tony Holohan said as the cases continued to rise officials would be in a position to provide a breakdown for counties.
He added while people should continue to exercise caution and practise social distancing, this does not mean they have to “stay home and hide”.
Dr Holohan added: “It’s important for your physical health to get out and walk.”
He refused to be drawn on whether pubs should close or not and said it remained an “individual” decision for each licensed premises.
He added: “Our message is to decrease your discretionary social activity in as much as possible.”
Mr Varadkar yesterday met with members of the Northern Assembly in a bid to thrash out a deal for an all-island approach to the outbreak.
He warned: “This virus knows no
borders, no nationality. It is a problem for all of us.
“Our response to it is made more difficult as we do have two jurisdictions on this island.”
Schools in the Republic have closed and public gatherings have been curtailed but the same measures have not been introduced in the North.
A HSE helpline for coronavirus queries crashed on Friday and was out of service yesterday.
More than 5,000 calls were made to the Lo Call number (1850 241850) every day last week, surging to 7,000 on Friday as the number of cases rose to 90.
The information line was inundated with queries with people reporting wait times of up to two hours.
A HSE spokeswoman told the Irish Sunday Mirror: “We are sorry people cannot get through, and are doing our best to increase capacity.” Cork-based Councillor Kenneth O’flynn blasted the HSE for not providing a freephone number for worried citizens. He said: “It can be up to 49c a minute from some pay-as-you-go mobiles. “I can’t believe they didn’t make it a freephone number to give people peace of mind.” The HSE said yesterday it was working to ensure “sufficient testing facilities” are in place by tomorrow following “high demand”. Its chief clinical officer Dr Colm Henry added: “While we appreciate people’s concern about Covid-19, we would ask for their patience as we respond to increasing requirement.”
Anyone displaying cold and flu-like symptoms or who believe they may have been in contact with someone with the virus is asked to self-isolate and ring their GP tomorrow.
Last night, the US has added Ireland and the UK to its travel ban issued to European countries.
President Donald Trump also indicated the exclusion could extend beyond the 30 days originally imposed.
THE Asthma Society Of Ireland is providing a new FAQ section on its website about coronavirus and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. It is urging people with asthma to be “extremely vigilant” and to follow guidance and advice at www. asthma.ie
THE Irish Kidney Association’s patient support centre has been taken over by Beaumont Hospital as part of its Covid-19 contingency plans. All 13 ensuite double bedrooms in the ground floor renal unit have been sequestered to provide more bed space.
A Maltese national who has contracted the deadly coronavirus was in Dublin only four days ago, the Irish Sunday Mirror has learned. The 33-year-old flew from Dublin Airport to Malta on Tuesday and went into selfquarantine upon arrival.