DUBLIN: The Minister for health Stephen Donnelly said that five additional countries will be added to Ireland’s mandatory hotel quarantine list from next Tuesday.
Afghanistan, Egypt, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Trinidad and Tobago are the new countries to be added to the quarantine list. Passengers arriving in Ireland after 4 am on Tuesday (June 8), from these countries, or who have been via these countries, must enter mandatory hotel quarantine.
A total of 4,400 people were subjected to mandatory hotel quarantine. There have been 173 COVID-19 cases detected through the quarantine system, with 59 cases of variants of concern, including 47 B117, and 12 B1351 or P1 variants. There were 163 residents, nine employees, and an unaccompanied minor among those who tested positive.
Due to concerns about the Delta variant of COVID-19, which was first detected in India, people travelling from the UK are advised by the Health Department to avail of free testing five days after arrival in Ireland, and to strictly adhere to the legal requirements for home quarantine.
The number of Delta variant cases in the UK is rapidly increasing, with more than 12,431 cases confirmed so far, an increase of 79% from the previous week’s total of 6,959. Meanwhile, public health officials issued a warning that several cases of the Delta variant had been identified in the Kilkeel area of Co Down.
All travellers to Ireland are legally required to have a negative result from a COVID-19 PCR test performed within 72 hours of their arrival. This rule applies even if travellers are not from countries on the mandatory hotel quarantine list.
Those from non-designated countries must also subject to a 14-day home quarantine. This 14-day timeframe can only be shortened if they receive a negative PCR test result within five days of arrival.
Ireland’s mandatory hotel quarantine system was due to end the next week, but Health Minister Stephen Donnelly sought to extend it until July 31. There are now a total of 51 countries on the list.
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