A Chinese woman suspected of having Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) is said to be in a stable condition in Tallaght Hospital this morning.
An Eastern Region Health Authority spokeswoman said the woman, who is "responding well to treatment", is being treated as a "probable" case of SARS.
The woman was admitted to the hospital on Saturday, having recently returned from southeast Asia.
A man who is being treated in Mayo General Hospital is still "stable and improving", a Western Health Board spokeswoman said this morning.
He was described as having a "probable" case of SARS at the weekend.
It has not yet been confirmed whether or not either of the two patients has the virus.
In the past two weeks, the mystery pneumonia virus has killed at least 17 people - including 10 in Hong Kong - and infected over 450 people in 11 countries worldwide.
The communicable diseases section of the World Health Organisation (WHO) is meeting today in Geneva to determine if there is need to impose travel restrictions to stem the spread of the virus.
Singapore has already set up a quarantine system for patients who showed symptoms of SARS. Anyone caught breaking the 10-day quarantine faces a maximum fine of S$5,000 for a first offence, and S$10,000 for a second.
WHO said two different virus families have been identified by laboratories investigating cases of SARS as a possible cause of the outbreak.
