A leading cancer doctor has said protecting the sick and infirm from Covid-19 should be enough reason to cancel the St Patrick's Day Parade.
Professor John Crown said evidence from China shows cancer patients and survivors have the highest rates of critical illness if infected.
Four people were confirmed to have tested positive for the virus on the island yesterday -- three in the North and one in the Republic.
The patient in the Republic is male, in the east of the country and "associated with travel" from northern Italy. It brings the total to 19 confirmed cases in the Republic.
The three new cases in the North are all adults who had recently travelled from Italy and are linked to a previously confirmed positive case.
The new confirmed cases bring the total on the island of Ireland to 26.
Prof. Crown said it is not good enough for authorities to say a bout of Covid-19 is a mild illness for most.
He said: "Generally older, frailer people are more likely to get seriously and life-threateningly ill with this than healthy people and I get slightly irritated at a certain sense of, I won't say flippancy, but a certain sense that people who are offering reassurance don;t read about this the only people who die are the old and the frail.
"The old and the frail and the sick are very important."
Visitor bans are to remain in place at a number of hospitals.
Elective surgeries and outpatient appointments on Monday and Tuesday at six hospitals across Limerick, Clare and north Tipperary have been cancelled.
Useful information
- The HSE have developed an information pack on how to protect yourself and others from coronavirus. Read it here
- Anyone with symptoms of coronavirus who has been in close contact with a confirmed case in the last 14 days should isolate themselves from other people - this means going into a different, well-ventilated room alone, with a phone; phone their GP, or emergency department - if this is not possible, phone 112 or 999 and in a medical emergency (if you have severe symptoms) phone 112 or 999
