Doctor: 20,000 may get virus in Ireland

UP to 20,000 people in Ireland could be hit by a coronavirus outbreak within weeks, a top doctor has warned.

Professor Sam Mcconkey also said data indicates 2% of those who contract the bug may die.

Prof Mcconkey told RTE’S Morning Ireland: “It hasn’t yet been detected in Ireland but it is quite possible that in the next three, four, six, eight weeks that we might be seeing thousands of people coming to the emergency room with that virus.

“From the data from China, 2% may die and about 25% need oxygen and hospital care to stay alive.”

Assistant national director of the HSE, Kevin Kelleher added at an HSE briefing: “There is lots of people out there doing various calculations modelling what happens in different circumstances.

“In the worst case scenario, yes you could get to that sort of issue [20,000].

“What we are striving to do is try to ensure if we do have a case here we will minimise and hopefully make sure there is no spread of that disease.”

Yesterday Health Minister Robin Swann said his department has “procedures and steps in place that have been tried and tested”.

He added: “That’s why we’re part of the COBRA calls as well so the response is Uk-wide.

“We’ve also been in contact with our colleagues in the Republic to make sure we have a consistent approach.”

In an earlier statement to MLAS, Mr Swann said

“It is not unreasonable to assume at some point we will have a positive case in Northern Ireland”.

The killer virus, which broke out in Wuhan has now claimed 170 lives and another 7,711 people have been infected.