30,000 new coronavirus testing kits due to arrive today

- with reporting from Digital Desk staff

30,000 new coronavirus testing kits are due to arrive in Ireland today.

There are plans for more test centres after Dublin's Croke Park opened this week.

The GAA headquarters is being used by the HSE as a drive-through facility to test people by appointment only.

Meanwhile, a Limerick academic and doctor, who has been tracking the figures comparing the impact of the coronavirus in Italy two weeks ago and Ireland at present, has said that more testing will help slow down the virus.

Dr Michael O’Callaghan, from the Department of General Practice at University of Limerick, who is also a GP in Bruff in Limerick, told Newstalk Breakfast that while the increasing figures may cause alarm, they should not.

Testing means picking up more cases, this was good he said as it would help identify ‘hot spots’ which could then be isolated and slow down the spread of the virus.

The virus is now spreading in the community, in Italy this was not realised until it was too late, he said.

“Hopefully we are changing the trajectory. The changes that are being put in place now, we will not see any results for a week or 10 days.

“It is important we all pull together.”

The measures introduced matter, he said, especially for public health workers as it was important that they “get a handle on it.”

Dr O’Callaghan called on small businesses to follow advice and introduce practical measures such as stickers on the floor marking social distancing.

“This has to become habit.”

Yesterday, the National Public Health Emergency Team announced 74 new cases of Covid-19 in Ireland.

It brings the total cases in the Republic to 366.

Of the new cases, there are 45 males and 29 females.

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