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THE ORGANISERS OF the St Patrick’s Festival in Dublin have said they will “follow the advice” of all relevant authorities amidst the worldwide coronavirus outbreak.
This evening, health minister Simon Harris confirmed that it was the clear view of the of the National Public Health Emergency Team that the Ireland vs Italy Six Nations game should not go ahead in the interests of public safety.
That Six Nations game was scheduled to take place on Saturday 7 March. The St Patrick’s Festival is due to take place from 13-17 March.
So far, 11 people have died in Italy from the coronavirus and over 300 cases have been diagnosed. Cases of coronavirus were also confirmed in southern Italy, Austria, Croatia and Switzerland this afternoon.
China today reported 508 new cases and another 71 deaths as of today, 68 of them in the central city of Wuhan, where the epidemic was first detected in December.
In a statement this evening, Department of Health chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan said the decision to urge the cancellation of the rugby game was justified.
The National Public Health Emergency Team is to also establish a subgroup to develop criteria to conduct a risk assessment of other mass gatherings.
Holohan said: “Based on European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC) guidelines, the cancellation of mass gatherings in this phase is justified in exceptional circumstances, and today’s recommendation to cancel the Ireland v Italy rugby match is based on the rapidly evolving nature of the outbreak in northern Italy, and the consequent risk of importation of cases into Ireland were the match to go ahead.”
With the St Patrick’s Festival – which features dozens of events over five days and nights in Dublin – attracting tens of thousands of tourists and due to take place a week later, organisers said it would follow all advice on the matter.
A spokesperson told TheJournal.ie: “St Patrick’s Festival is monitoring the situation regarding COVID-19 and will continue to do so. We follow the advice and direction of relevant authorities in all matters of public safety.”
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Just asking for trouble..cancel everything
@Jacqui Curtis-owens:
cancel everything? Give over.
@Just Some Guy: we can have a special rescheduled Paddy’s day celebration in July. Better safe than sorry. We need to keep it as zero cases confirmed here.
@Jacqui Curtis-owens: get a grip FFS
@Jacqui Curtis-owens: you’re right. Let these morans go to China and Korea where the countries are in Lock down with people collapsing on the Street
@Caoimhín O Neill:
It’s actually moron not morans
@Jacqui Curtis-owens: Jackie calm it like
Government policy at the moment seems to be “shur t’will be grand”.
@Benny: is that why they want to cancel the rugby match?
@Connoroconner: yep, they should just cancel it instead of recommending anything. It’s not happening IRFU, sorry but there’s more important things than rugby.
@Benny: it really is, been proven that the disease can be carried without showing symptoms and our genii at the top of our health care advise people who just came back from an infected area to only self isolate if you feel sick…. what in the fu** are they at like???? Literally, within a couple of days and we’ll have it here. No doubts.
@Benny: I think they might do that if IRFU press ahead with the game
@Benny: But what will landlords spend money on?
@Eolan James McCarthy: taxes
During the foot and mouth outbreak St Patrick’s Day parades were postponed until well into May. But sure us plebs will be grand.
St Patrick’s Day should be cancelled until a nice Sunny weekend in the Summer
Sure Simon Harris is on it. What’s everyone worried about?
Almost 60,000 people die from the flu every year. I cannot fathom the hysteria over this coronavirus.
@Martin M: This has the potential to far exceed that number. Already there’s over 2,700 dead, most of them in China, although it’s accepted the numbers there are actually far higher.
It’s only been in Italy a few days and already there’s over 300 infected, 11 dead and 19 seriously ill. There’s a lot of aspects to this. As well as the obvious mortality rate this will have on populations it will also take it’s toll on hospitals as they’ll be unable to cope with other patients, who won’t stop getting sick. There’ll be a financial burden on the world’s economies, China and Japan are already starting to feel the impact of this. As it spreads from China we’ll really begin to feel it’s impact and start to get an accurate measure of this virus. There’s every reason to worry.
@Martin M: add another zero to that. it was 650K last year worldwide
@Martin M: because you didn’t educate yourself on the matter
@Martin M: do a bit reading up on the subject perhaps?
@Paul Furey: why don’t you enlighten me on the subject professor Furey
@Martin M: Why don’t you take on some personal responsibility?
Two schools in Dublin and wicklow arrieved back from a school ski trip to Italy last Friday they were not screened nor were they quarantined…so now ireland is at risk of corona virus..where were the CHECKS
@Marianne: school in offaly as well was on a ski trip in Italy and only back
Not a case in Ireland and a statement made already. Slow news today?
If they cancel the rugby and leave the celebrations go ahead it is an absolute disgrace as the crowd Paddy’s Day pulls in dwarfs that which the game would.
I’m taking lots of vit c and advise others do likewise.
I might stay home avoid risk coronavirus
have your say