Four stillbirths potentially related to Covid-19 Placentitus have been confirmed here, NPHET has today said.
Deputy CMO Dr Ronan Glynn confirmed during a press briefing that the reports "should be interpreted with caution as the coroners have not yet concluded their findings.
Dr Glynn added: "The HSE's National Women and Infants Programme is aware of and is monitoring the situation and has issued a related notice to obstetric departments. I would ask that the privacy of all of those affected by this disease continue to be respected at all times.”
Speaking during tonight's briefing explained that the condition was "effectively an infection of the placenta leading to still birth."
"The coroners have not concluded their findings but in view of the emerging reports the the HSE's national children and women's department has communicated with obstetrics departments around the country."
He added that the advice to pregnant women has not changed in relation to Covid-19 to take as many precautions as possible to avoid infection.
Meanwhile NPHET tonight confirmed that more than 200 households have had an outbreak of COVID-19 that are linked back to the outbreak among students.
Dr Breda Smyth, Director of Public Health, HSE West said: "We know that the new variant is more transmissible, and, based on the latest data, approximately a third of household contacts of confirmed cases in Ireland are now testing positive.
"If you display any symptoms of COVID-19, you must immediately self-isolate in your room and phone your GP.”
“We know how to break the chains of transmission of this disease. We must all continue to make every effort to limit our social contacts, stay home and stay safe.”
To the end of the 3rd which was yesterday we had 442 cases associated with this outbreak. Of those 179 of these cases were linked to multiple household clusters where there are multiple households invovled.
"In total there were 224 households affected by this outbreak."
