Ireland closes all schools, colleges and nurseries and bans outdoor gatherings with more than 500 people amid coronavirus outbreak
All schools, colleges and nurseries will be closed across Ireland with outdoor gatherings of more than 500 banned amid a growing coronavirus outbreak.
Prime Minister Leo Varadkar made the dramatic announcement in a speech given outside Blair House in Washington DC, where he is due to meet with Donald Trump later today.
He added that under the emergency measures, which will take effect from 6pm today until March 29, teaching will be done online and state-run ‘cultural institutions’ will close.
The UK has yet to announce similar measures despite eight deaths due to the virus, with Boris Johnson expected to defy demands for an immediate shutdown of schools and borders later today.
It comes after the White House ordered an immediate shut-down of all travel from Europe to the US on Wednesday, with the exception of Irish and British nationals.
Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said ‘schools, colleges and childcare facilities will close from tomorrow’ in a speech outside Blair House in Washington DC (pictured)
Ireland confirmed its first death of a patient diagnosed with the coronavirus on Wednesday as the number of confirmed cases of the virus rose to 43 from 34 a day earlier.
There are also 18 cases in Northern Ireland, the British region which shares an open border with the Irish republic.
Speaking today, Mr Varadkar said the emergency measures had to be taken in an attempt prevent the spread of the deadly infection.
‘Unfortunately we must face the tragic reality that some people will die,’ he said. ‘The virus is all over the world, it will continue to spread but it can be slowed.’
Mr Varadkar said he was acting on fresh advice from the country’s National Public Health Emergency Team.
He said the Government had a duty to protect those at risk, such as the elderly and people with underlying health conditions.
Advice has been issued to cancel all indoor mass gatherings involving 100 people or more and outdoor gatherings of 500 or more
Working from home will be encouraged but where people do congregate in offices break times should be ‘staggered’, Mr Varadkar said
‘We have not witnessed a pandemic of this nature in living memory and this is uncharted territory for us,’ he said. ‘We said we would take the right actions at the right time and we have to move now to have the greatest impact.’
The school closures are among a range of restrictions coming into place at 6pm on Thursday.
Advice has been issued to cancel all indoor mass gatherings involving 100 people or more and outdoor gatherings of 500 or more.
Anyone entering Ireland will be informed of the measures and asked to self-isolate if they are displaying any symptoms of the rapidly spreading virus.
Working from home will be encouraged but where people do congregate in offices break times should be ‘staggered’, he said.
The Taoiseach added that shops, cafes and restaurants can remain open across Ireland.
‘People should seek to reduce social interactions as much as possible,’ he said.