Kingston Mills, professor of experimental immunology at Trinity College Dublin and emergency medicine consultant Dr Chris Luke both said the HSE has the correct measures in place.

Two Irish citizens have tested positive for Coronavirus and are currently being treated in hospital in Japan.

The lack of components from China will have an impact at micro level for a number of Irish companies, he said as the production of source items has come to a halt.

A cruise ship that has been refused entry by at least three other ports over the coronavirus has now been turned away by Thailand.