LAST UPDATE | 3 Mar 2020
MEMBERS OF A teenage band in Clontarf, north Dublin have been issued with advice to self-isolate.
The Health Service Executive has written to members of the community musical group urging them to self isolate as a precautionary measure.
No new case of Covid-19 is involved.
The measure is part of the contact tracing process being followed in response to the first confirmed case in the Republic, which was announced on Saturday evening.
It is a precautionary measure arising from a community band session that happened in the area last Saturday which was attended by the patient.
All members of the band who attended the practice session are being treated as potential contacts and have been urged to self-isolate until 15 March.
A number of fake letters on advice being issued in response to the coronavirus crisis have been circulating online, and earlier today health officials initially told media outlets that the details in this particular letter were fake.
An earlier version of this article, published shortly after 11am, reflected the information being provided by health officials at the time.
Neither the Department of Health or the HSE are commenting publicly today on the particulars of any new contact tracing advice being issued.
However TheJournal.ie has confirmed that the advice being issued in a letter to the teenage band in Clontarf is correct and that members who attended the practice session last weekend are being asked to self-isolate.
Health officials last night met with parents of children who attend the same school as a male student who has Covid-19.
The male in question had recently returned from northern Italy, which has seen a large number of cases.
He is a student at Scoil Chaitríona in Glasnevin, Dublin 9. The school yesterday began a two-week closing period as a precautionary measure.
Health officials had already contacted the principal, staff, and parents or guardians of pupils. Families are being issued with daily updates.
In a statement yesterday evening, the Department of Health’s National Public Health Emergency Team confirmed that Ireland remains in a containment phase.
The Department also confirmed that a letter from the Chief Medical Officer to parents of all school children, across the country, was issued yesterday.
Part of this letter states:
“The decision to close the school for 14 days is a precautionary one and arises because pupils and teachers may have had direct contact with the confirmed case.
“However, siblings not attending the school concerned, parents and other members of the community are not regarded as contacts and can continue their daily routines as normal.”
You can follow the latest developments concerning Ireland’s response to global coronavirus crisis on our liveblog here.
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