Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
VIRUS KILLS FLYBE
2,000 jobs at risk as Belfast City Airport’s largest operator collapses Emotional scenes as workers and passengers look for answers
FLYBE passengers were grounded last night amid fears the struggling airline had gone bust following the coronavirus scare.
It comes after the carrier, the largest operator at Belfast City Airport, put in a plea to the Government for a £100million loan, with 2,000 jobs said to be at risk.
BBC presenter Holly Hamilton, who is from Co Down, was among those affected.
She tweeted from a Flybe plane last night: “Staff in tears. This is so grim. Plane
here in Northern Ireland. In line with established protocals these test outcomes have been sent to Public Health England laboratories for verification.”
The Health Minister added the “two cases are not connected”. He said: “One individual recently travelled from Northern Italy, the other had recent contact with a person elsewhere in the United Kingdom who has subsequently tested positive for COVID-19.”
It is unclear where the new patients, who are both adults are being treated, but Mr Swann said they “are receiving appropriate care”.
He added: “I would stress that Northern Ireland remains in containment phase.”
Queen’s revealed in a statement last night that they have convened the major incident team to decide its next steps but classes would continue as normal. It read: “We have been informed by the Public Health Agency of a presumptive positive case of COVID-19 within the university.
“The major incident team has been convened and is putting in place the appropriate contingency measures which will be communicated to staff and students when appropriate.”
It said it was working with the PHA to “ensure that anyone who has been in contact with the infected individual is identified and supported
I would stress that Northern Ireland remains in a containment phase
HEALTH MINISTER ROBIN SWANN YESTERDAY
to receive medical attention if required” and said they will “take all appropriate steps to contain any further spread of the virus and to protect the welfare of all within the university community and the wider public”.
Chief Medical Officer Dr Michael Mcbride said “there are no implications for colleagues in the Republic of Ireland” as both of new patients travelled from Northern Italy and elsewhere in the UK back into Northern Ireland.
He said health staff are now carrying out “very detailed tracing” to find those they came into contact with on their journeys home”.
A total of 151 people had been tested for COVID-19 as of yesterday afternoon. A Northern Ireland hospital is planning to send COVID-19 patients to England for treatment. Antrim Area Hospital is ready for “drive-through testing” for the virus and expects patients will receive results within four hours.
They will be swabbed in the nose and mouth then told to go home and selfisolate while awaiting the outcome. Dr
Seamus O’reilly, medical director for the Northern Health and Social Care Trust, said: “If the test comes back positive there is a very well-rehearsed process we do in conjunction with our colleagues in England.
“We identify an infectious diseases bed in England, if possible, to transfer the patient to.
“If we cannot transfer the patient across for whatever reason, the infectious diseases beds in the Royal will be used for that purpose, that is ward 7A.”
Last night four new cases were confirmed in the Republic.
Two males and two females, from the same family in Co Clare, were tested after they returned from northern Italy, where the disease is rampant.