Coronavirus: School in Dublin closed for 14 days after all pupils and staff confirmed as ‘close contacts’ of Coronavirus case

A secondary school in Dublin has been closed for 14 days due to concerns over Coronavirus, BBC reports.

This is coming after a man from the eastern part of Ireland was confirmed to have Coronavirus on Saturday.

The National Public Health Emergency Team said;

“A risk assessment determined that all pupils and teachers are being treated as close contacts of the confirmed case”

A woman from Northern Ireland was also diagnosed with the virus on Thursday.

Both had travelled home from an affected area in Italy.

Dr Tony Holohan, Ireland’s chief medical officer, said;

“Public health doctors are in direct contact with pupils, their parents and the staff involved”.

While not identifying it, he said it was a “large school and stressed that patient confidentiality in this case, and in all cases, should be respected”.

Deputy chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn and Health Minister Simon Harris at a Covid-19 briefing. Photo Credit: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

The department says all pupils and teachers are being asked to restrict their movements until the end of the incubation period. This is a huge undertaking for everyone involved.

The Republic of Ireland has now just joined the growing list of countries around the world where this virus is really starting to disrupt public life.

Dr John Cuddihy, director of the Health Protection Surveillance Centre, said students and teachers at the school had been advised to restrict their movements.

The Department of Education said it was “available to assist the school in any way necessary”.

“The closing of this school was a decision made on public health grounds after risk assessment deemed it appropriate. All other schools will remain open.

The chief executive of Tourism Ireland said on Sunday he had “extremely serious” concerns over the potential impact of the virus.

Niall Gibbons said there had already been trip cancellations, amid growing fears more visitors will stay away.

Two schools in Northern Ireland have cancelled ski trips to Italy amid concerns over the Coronavirus outbreak.

The decisions came after pupils and staff from three Northern Ireland schools who were recently on school trips to Italy were sent home due to Coronavirus concerns.