Five new cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Ireland as of Friday evening

One of the new coronavirus cases is a healthcare worker.

Officials from the Department of Health confirmed that, as of Friday evening (6 March), there are 18 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the Republic of Ireland. The latest figures were released at a Department of Health briefing, after five more cases were confirmed today. Among the five new cases are a man in the east of the country who had travelled to northern Italy, a woman in the west of the country who came into close contact with a confirmed case, a female healthcare worker in the south of the country who came into contact with a confirmed case, and two more people in the south (a man and a woman) whose illness is associated with travel. Including cases from Northern Ireland, there are 22 total cases on the island of Ireland, as one new case of COVID-19 was confirmed in the north this evening. Chief Medical Officer Dr. Tony Holohan said: "We are still in the containment phase. I think that the chances of picking this condition in this country are very low." Holohan reaffirmed that the focus remains on people who have travelled to affected, or who have been in close contact with a "confirmed case." Anyone who meets the above criteria and is displaying symptoms should make telephone contact with their GP, and not present to their GP's office or to A&E.