The first community transmission case of coronavirus was confirmed in Ireland on Thursday as COVID-19 cases surged here.
There are now 13 confirmed cases in the Republic of Ireland with a seven announced by the Department of Health on Thursday night.
Four are travel related from Northern Italy and four are males from the east country.
Two are associated with close contact with a confirmed case, two are females in the west of the country and one is a male from the south of the country.
The male diagnosed with COVID-19 in the south of the country is believed to have contracted it via community transmission - but what exactly does that mean?
What is a community transmission case of coronavirus?
This means the person who has been diagnosed with the disease was not in a high-risk area and they were not known to have been in contact with any other confirmed cases.
Instead the COVID-19 virus was transmitted to them in the community and at the moment it is unclear where exactly they would have contracted it.
Where is the first community case in Ireland?
Sources at Cork University Hospital said that a patient has contracted the virus at CUH, but had not been to Northern Italy or other affected areas recently.
It is also understood that the patient had not been in contact with any other known cases in Ireland. No visitors were being accepted at Cork University Hospital last night while notices have been placed outside declaring an 'infection outbreak'.
Before this case in Cork it had been possible to trace all other cases back to their original source.
What happens next?
The HSE said it is now working rapidly to identify any contacts the patients may have had, to provide them with information and advice to prevent further spread.
Dr. Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer with the Department of Health, said: “Ireland remains in containment phase with just one case of community transmission.
"This is, however, a rapidly evolving situation. Public health doctors are working hard to ensure our containment measures are operating effectively.
“Most people who become infected with Covid-19 experience a mild illness and recover, but it can be more severe for some."
