LEO VARADKAR has warned that Ireland’s coronavirus emergency could stretch on into the summer.
The Taoiseach told those watch a special Ministerial Briefing broadcast that "this is the calm before the storm and the surge will come".
A total of 292 cases have been confirmed in the Republic with a further 62 reported in Northern Ireland bringing the total to 354 cases across the island of Ireland.
And despite pledging all of the resources available to the state to help stop the spread, Mr Varadkar admitted there could be as many as 15,000 confirmed cases of Covid-19 by the end of March.
He used the address to call on the public to “do the right things in the weeks ahead” and also paid tribute to healthcare workers.
Not all superheroes wear capes… some wear scrubs and gowns,” he said.
Despite the downbeat outlook, Mr Varadkar reminded viewers across Ireland that “when things were at their worst we were at our best.
"We cannot stop the virus but we can stop it in its tracks and push it back," he said.
"In short we are asking people to come together as a nation by staying apart".
On the subject of how long the crisis would last, Mr Varadkar admitted he didn’t know but added that it could stretch into the summer.
Mr Varadkar was keen to stress the government would do its upmost to help businesses adapt and said that elderly people and anyone who is unwell is likely to be facing several weeks at home in a scenario he termed as “cocooning”.
He also called on young people stuck at home to do everything they can to support their parents and paid tribute to those workers keeping supply chains open and those journalists and broadcasters keeping the public informed.
However, he did warn that when the surge in cases comes "never will so much be asked of so few".
Mr Varadkar ended the broadcast with a simply message to anyone affected by the pandemic: "We are with you."
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