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The number of new travel-related Covid-19 cases is a \u201cgrave concern\u201d, Professor Philip Nolan has said.<\/p>\nThe number of new travel-related Covid-19 cases is a \u201cgrave concern\u201d, Professor Philip Nolan has said.<\/p>\n
Professor Nolan, chairman of the NPHET Irish epidemiological modelling advisory group, said people should question whether they need to take a foreign holiday this year due to the risk of a resurgence of the virus.<\/p>\n
He tweeted: \u201cNew travel-related Covid-19 infections a grave concern. A surge seeded by travel is a risk to public health, to healthcare workers, to the vulnerable in our community. We can protect them by foregoing our holiday abroad. A useful question for any activity: luxury or necessity?\u201d<\/p>\n
It comes as chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan warned that the high number of young people among the country\u2019s new cases of Covid-19 marks a \u201cworrying trend\u201d.<\/p>\n
Nearly half of the 23 cases confirmed on Saturday were in people under the age of 35 while eight cases were among people aged between 35 and 54.<\/p>\n
There were also six further deaths, bringing the death toll to 1,734.<\/p>\n
In a statement on Saturday night, Dr Holohan said the number of young people testing positive is \u201cnow a real concern and a worrying trend.\u201d<\/p>\n
He also warned that some of the newly-confirmed cases had \u201clarge numbers of close contacts that have required testing and self-isolation for 14 days\u201d.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the Health Minister says the “big risk” of a spike in coronavirus cases comes from international travel.<\/p>\n
The government has committed to publishing a list of countries where Irish people can travel to without having to quarantine when they come back.<\/p>\n
Last Thursday, the former government announced that foreign travel to certain countries from July 9 has been approved.<\/p>\n
Air bridges will be established between countries with similarly low infection rates from that date, enabling people to travel without undergoing quarantine.<\/p>\n
Stephen Donnelly – who yesterday was made the Minister for Health – says there is a risk associated with more people travelling.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe great advance we have as an island, obviously, is that we have a natural border.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo if we can continue to do everything we can to ideally eliminate this virus on the island, but certainly to bring it down to a very low level, then obviously the big risk is international travel.\u201d<\/p>\n