MARY LOU MCDONALD is under a self-imposed quarantine after revealing her children attend a school in Dublin where a pupil was confirmed to have contracted coronavirus.
Students and staff have been sent home and are now on lockdown while the school remains closed for the next two weeks.
The Sinn Féin leader has cancelled a number of events and meetings over the next few weeks as a result of her quarantine.
McDonald said it is a "very worrying time" after it emerged a pupil in her own children's school has the deadly virus.
It's understood she'll remain in her home for the next two weeks as her and her children follow professional medial advice.
President of Sinn Fein Mary Lou McDonald"My children's school is closed for the next fortnight because of a confirmed case of the coronavirus," she said in the video message.
"We're following all of the chief medical officer's advice and therefore the children have to be at home for the next 14 days.
"This is a worrying time for families and for the staff at the school, particularly for the family of the person affected, and we wish them a very, very speedy recovery.
"Remember to follow all of the advice, to listen to the medical advice and to wash your hands with warm, soapy water and to wash them again, to take care of yourselves and take care of each other."
The very first confirmed coronavirus case in Ireland was confirmed on Saturday, and the government say they're bracing themselves for a number of other confirmed cases over the coming days.
Since the outbreak in December last year, coronavirus has claimed the lives of over 3,000 people worldwide.
