THE CHIEF Executive Officer of Ireland's health service, Paul Reid, has said he cannot dispute projections that as many as 1.9 million people in the Republic of Ireland could contract the coronavirus.
The HSE executive was speaking on RTÉ's Radio One regarding an article which appeared in The Business Post, which stated that senior health officials believe that up to 1.9 million people in Ireland could become infected with the virus-- 40% of the population.
Mr Reid said that the HSE is "buiding our evidence" regarding rates of transmission and containment strategies, but said that "I can't right now dispute [author] Susan's piece".
Mr Reid went on to reassure people that the HSE have "very significant plans in place" to contain and delay the virus, which has so far infected 33 people on the island, 21 in the Republic.
The health service have invested €20 billion to introduce 25 new Intensive Care Unit beds and the expand the capacity of the Mater hospital in order to "relieve the pressure on the acute system".
The HSE are following guidlines set by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, as well as the World Health Organisation, to delay the transmission of the virus.
Mr Reid went on to say that "In terms of all of that the number of people that are impacted, the evidence is that 80 per cent of people who contract the virus remain well".
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Minister for Health Simon Harris are today meeting staff at the Health Protection Surveillance Centre in Dublin amid rising calls for mass gatherings, such as the upcoming St Patrick's Day parade, to be cancelled.
Mr Varadkar himself has confirmed he will be cutting short the annual trip to the US, and will not visit New York as previously planned.
For information on the coronavirus, how it is spread and what to do if you start showing symptoms, you can visit the HSE website here.
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