Tourists from Wuhan visited Ireland early in pandemic

THE idea that Covid presented no threat outside of China in the early days of the pandemic was ‘very clearly dispelled’ when a busload of tourists from Wuhan visited Co. Antrim and then travelled to Dublin, a public inquiry has heard.

The Covid-19 Inquiry, which is sitting in Belfast, heard evidence that an official attended the asymptomatic tourists to give health advice in January 2020.

Richard Pengelly, who was permanent secretary at the North’s Department of Health during the pandemic, gave evidence to the inquiry – which is investigating the initial response to the pandemic, central government decision-making, and political and civil service performance.

Discussing preparedness for a pandemic and whether it was believed it could be contained, lead counsel for the inquiry Clair Dobbin referred Mr Pengelly to an internal civil service message sent on January 25 2020, a month before a case was recorded in the North.

The message said: ‘A group of Chinese tourists from Wuhan have arrived in Larne by bus from Scotland. They are staying overnight in Larne, touring today and heading to Dublin this evening.

‘DOH (Department of Health) are deploying someone from the PHA (Public Health Agency) to provide advice to the group and to check their health. CMO (Chief Medical Officer) is not concerned.’

The message went on to say Health Minister Robin Swann would be calling the then-First Minister and Deputy First Minister, Arlene Foster and Michelle O’Neill respectively, to brief them on the visit.

Ms Dobbin said: ‘Any idea that this pandemic was something happening on the other side of the world and presented no threat to Northern Ireland was very clearly dispelled at this point in time.’

Mr Pengelly said: ‘Yes.’ He also said the health system in the region had been in a ‘sub-optimal’ state before Covid-19 spread to the North. The inquiry continues.