Image source, RTE

The Health Protection Surveillance Centre 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.

Dr. Tony Holohan, chief medical officer, 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."

The director general of the World Health Organisation, Tedros Adhanom, has said the coronavirus outbreak can now be classified as a pandemic.

He said this did not change the assessment of the threat or advice to countries as to what they should do.

Northern Ireland's Chief Medical Officer Michael McBride said he anticipates further cases of coronavirus in the weeks ahead.

St Patrick's Day parades have been cancelled across the island of Ireland, including Belfast and Dublin, due to the rise in the number of people diagnosed with the virus.

But Dr McBride said the evidence for cancelling mass gatherings "is just not there".

Tourism NI has cancelled its annual 'Meet the Buyer' conference on 24 March, which 162 international buyers were expected to attend.

In a statement it said: "The review considered the number of buyers planning to attend, and available appointments for our industry to engage with buyers, and concluded that with a growing number of available appointments not going ahead due to buyer cancellations and further cancellations extremely likely, the only realistic decision was to cancel Meet the Buyer 2020."

A woman with coronavirus has died in the Republic of Ireland, RTÉ has reported.

She had an underlying illness and was being treated in hospital.

Read more here.

Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis has defended his decision to travel to Washington for a series of St Patrick’s day events.

It follows the decision by First Minister Arlene Foster and Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill to cancel their visit to the United States due to coronavirus.

Speaking on Capitol Hill today, Brandon Lewis said he respected their decision to stay behind to deal with the coronavirus crisis but he felt it was important to be here “to do his bit” for Northern Ireland.

“I’m here talking to businesses about investing in Northern Ireland and hearing from local business about the opportunities that are in the US in the future when we move past Covid-19,” he said.

Image source, Getty Images

The secretary of state also revealed he had been in touch by text with his colleague Nadine Dorries who has been diagnosed with coronavirus.

”I messaged her last night to wish her well for speedy recovery. I've not actually seen the Nadine face to face for some weeks now, but I wish her a speedy recovery," he said.

“She's followed proper precautions as outlined by Public Health England, let's say the key thing for all of us, is to be sensible and keep washing our hands."

The Department of Health has announced there are two new presumed positive cases of coronavirus in Northern Ireland.

It brings the total number of cases here to 18.

The Public Health Agency is currently undertaking contact tracing for both cases.

The BBC understands the Halifax call centre in the Gasworks in Belfast has reopened after it was closed for a deep clean.

The centre's owner, Lloyds Banking Group, confirmed on Tuesday that a staff member there had been diagnosed with Covid-19.

Staff had been asked to self-isolate, work from home or work from a contingency site depending on which team or part of the building they work in.

Ian Marshall, a unionist member of the Irish Senate, says there is a "bit of an assumption that dialogue between Belfast and Dublin only happens in the case of a crisis like what we’re currently facing.

“The reality is that dialogue is going on all the time. I think that must happen, because we need to be working in harmony north and south to make sure that we contain it.”

More stringent measures will be put in place as the coronavirus outbreak develops, the first minister has said.

Arlene Foster told BBC Talkback that these measures may be required in the "next couple of weeks".

Image source, PA Media

"Coronavirus is an issue for everyone and not just government," she said.

"This is something we know is coming towards us in the next couple of weeks.

"Timeliness is very important in all of this."

Saturday's Irish Premiership fixture between Linfield and Larne has been postponed.

The decision comes a day after it was revealed that a Linfield player had tested positive for coronavirus.

The league leaders were due to host Larne on Saturday in their penultimate game before the league split.

The NI Football League has not yet given any indication as to the re-arranged dates for the scheduled game.

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Delivering his budget, Chancellor Rishi Sunak announces measures to support businesses if employees are off work because of coronavirus.

- For businesses with fewer than 250 employees, government will fund Statutory Sick Pay for two weeks.

- A loan scheme is to be introduced to cover the cost of salaries and bills, offering loans of up to £1.2m to support small and medium sized businesses.

Image source, House of Commons

Mr Sunak also said "Whatever extra resources our NHS needs to cope with Covid-19 – it will get".

"Whether it's research for a vaccine, recruiting thousands of returning staff, or supporting our brilliant doctors and nurses… whether it's millions of pounds or billions of pounds… whatever it needs, whatever it costs, we stand behind our NHS."

Follow live updates on the chancellor's budget.

Professor Hugh Pennington, Emeritus Professor of Bacteriology at University of Aberdeen, tells Talkback closing schools "will probably not do very much for stopping the transmission of the virus".

"This virus, unlike flu, doesn't hit children particularly hard," he said.

Image source, PA Media

"Young people seem to be less likely to get the virus in the first place and if they get the virus they have a very mild illness which almost certainly means, but not proven, that they're going to be poor transmitters of the virus."

A dedicated phone line for older people may be needed due to the coronavirus outbreak, the Commissioner for Older People for Northern Ireland has said.

Eddie Lynch has told BBC Talkbalk that we must "look out for our older people".

Image source, Getty Images

He said older people were becoming increasingly concerned about "what is coming down the line".

"They are really calling for clear guidance, advice and information so they can take appropriate steps to protect themselves," he said.

First Minister Arlene Foster tells Talkback:

"We have to plan for the reasonable worse case scenario"

"We will move upwards towards the peak. Just how long we can delay that peak into the summer, that's what we are really trying to do.

"We have to move as the science instructs us to move so that we don't do things too quickly because that would have a counter effect on trying to delay this disease.

Image source, AFP

"I don't want to alarm anybody, but what I do want to say to people is that we are taking all the steps in a proportionate way, led by the science."

Image source, Getty Images

The Department for Communities has reassured people claiming benefits that their benefits will not be affected if they need to self-isolate due to the coronavirus.

A spokesperson said: “If people cannot attend an appointment at their Jobs and Benefits office and/or medical assessment centre because of self-isolation, they should let us know immediately. Nobody will be penalised for doing the right thing.

“In addition, anyone self-isolating who is self-employed or who works on a short term contract can apply for Universal Credit or new-style Employment and Support Allowance, during the period of self-isolation.

“Anyone who is in a crisis situation can apply for financial help by contacting the Department’s Finance Support service on 0800 587 2750 (Freephone) or 0800 587 2751 (textphone for customers with hearing difficulties).

"If claiming Universal Credit they can also apply for a Universal Credit Contingency Fund grant by contacting the Finance Support service and choosing option 2.”

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Downpatrick and County Down railway has announced it has cancelled train operations on St Patrick's Day.

On Tuesday, Newry, Mourne and Down District Council cancelled the St Patrick's Day Parade in Downpatrick amidst public health concerncs around the coronavirus epidemic.

In a statement they said: "DCDR management have reviewed this situation, and we have taken the reluctant decision to cancel our train operations on this date as well.

"For clarity, that means the railway is closed on Tuesday 17 March.

"We apologise for any disappointment this has caused, and hope you understand our reasons for this decision. Aside from the health consideration, with the parade cancelled we would expect very few passengers to actually turn up for the trains.

"We will be issuing refunds to anyone who has already booked tickets."