A second case of coronavirus has been confirmed in Ireland.
A patient is a female in the east of the country who recently traveled back from northern Italy.
The HSE is working to identify what contacts the patient may have had to prevent further spread of the virus.
This case is not associated with the previously identified case of a student in Dublin who had also returned from Italy.
Chief medical officer at the Department of Health, Dr Tony Holohan, has said citizens are being advised to avoid non-essential to the four provinces in northern Italy.
These are Lombardy, Veneto, Emilia-Romagna or Piedmont.
This was previously just applicable to the 11 towns within those regions.
Dr Holohan said the HSE has established new groups - including one to look at vulnerable people, such as older people or those with underlying conditions.
"We're looking at stepping up actions in relation to acute hospital preparedness - and we've established a group in relation to that.
"A group that will be looking at continuity of supply of medicines and medical devices - a little bit like the work we did as part of Brexit preparedness.
"And we also want to establish a group to look more specifically at the question of the protection of the health and welfare of healthcare workers and social care workers, in particular".
He also said a person who is a suspect case can be tested in the community, without the need to be referred to hospital.
