The Department of Health has finally confirmed that a patient who had coronavirus has died.
Both the department and the Health Service Executive had refused to comment when Dublin Live contacted them after learning of the sad news earlier this afternoon.
Now the National Public Health Emergency Team has issued a statement through the Department of Health confirming that "the first recorded death relating to COVID-19" has occurred in Ireland.
The statement reads: "The HPSC has today been informed that a patient diagnosed with COVID-19 in Ireland has passed.
"This is the first recorded death relating to COVID-19 reported in Ireland."
The statement also included a quote from the Department of Health's chief medical officer Tony Holohan, who passed on his sympathies to the family of the deceased.
Dr Holohan said: "I would like to extend my condolences to the family and friends of this patient.
"I urge the media and the public to respect their privacy at this difficult time.
"We continue our efforts to interrupt the transmission of this virus. It will take all of us, collectively to succeed. Please continue to follow public health advice."
Health officials here have been widely criticised for a perceived lack of transparency in relation to the COVID-19 outbreak, with their reluctance to disclose what they obviously know said to be adding to public confusion and creating panic.
It's understood that the tragic patient was an elderly person with underlying health problems.
Dublin Live understands that the patient, an elderly woman from Naas in Co Kildare, had presented at a Dublin hospital with breathing difficulties, where they were diagnosed with COVID-19.
She had been treated at the hospital for several days before sadly dying from the virus today.
Earlier today HSE chief executive Paul Reid said Ireland was entering "a new phase in relation to the deadly virus.
He tweeted: "I fully support our hospitals who have to make decisions on restricting visitors based on clinical risk, patient and public safety. Please do as we urge and our ask will increase as we progress."
Ireland is slowly moving from the 'containment phase' into the 'delay phase', with hospital restrictions in place for visitors, businesses asking staff to work remotely and an announcement on school closures expected in the coming days.
Follow our LIVE blog on the escalating COVID-19 outbreak here for up-to-the-minute updates on the global pandemic as they happen.
