The first case of Covid-19 in Cork had nearly 800 close or casual contacts.
The male patient experienced Covid-19 symptoms four days before the first imported case of the coronavirus in Ireland was confirmed.
The man presented at Cork University Hospital on February 25, four days before the first reported case of Covid-19 in Ireland.
He had a cough and a headache, and required ventilation but had no history of recent travel abroad.
Staff at CUH decided to test the patient for Covid-19, even though this was not within national guidelines at the time.
But the patient’s test came back positive for Covid-19, and he became Ireland’s first case of Covid-19 due to community transmission.
A total of 780 close and casual contacts were then identified and traced, although the source of the original community transmission has not been detected, according to Echo Live.
Those 780 close or casual contacts included household, family and social contacts, as well as healthcare workers and other CUH patients, as the patient had spent time in the Emergency Department prior to diagnosis.
Contacts also included people at the patients’ GP surgery, where he originally presented with symptoms.
A public health source told The Echo that of the 780 contacts, “most were advised as casual contacts – no need to restrict movements but to be aware and look out for any Covid-19 related symptoms for 14 days from the date of exposure.
“Household contacts are by definition close contacts and some hospital contacts, both healthcare workers and patients, were also close contacts.”
