Mercy University Hospital has three patients being treated for coronavirus 

THE Mercy University Hospital has confirmed that three inpatients have tested positive for Covid 19.

In a statement, the hospital said: "Mercy University Hospital (MUH) confirms that it has three inpatients who have tested positive for Covid 19, all associated with travel to an infected region.  

"These patients were diagnosed in the community and had a co-ordinated, planned admission to MUH.  

"The patients are in a dedicated room in the hospital where they are receiving appropriate care. 

"The correct protective measures have been used at all times by all staff involved in caring for these patients."

Earlier, Lord Mayor John Sheehan, a GP based in Blackpool, said there has been “significant increase of calls” to GP surgeries in Cork from people concerned they may have contracted coronavirus.

“We’re encouraging people to ring and to be triaged and go through their symptoms, rather than coming down and presenting to the surgery,” the Lord Mayor told The Echo.

When people do make calls to the surgery, Dr Sheehan said that they are generally very calm: “A lot of it is more work-related queries and information.

"So, what might happen is it may be someone who is at work and they heard someone was possibly a case, and are wondering what to do.

“It may be someone who has a cold - but if you sneeze at work now, obviously there’s a concern - so their employer is taking precautions, so they’ve been asked to ring. A lot of it is fairly practical. It’s about information,” he said.