The cold sore virus, known as neonatal herpes, has now become a notifiable disease after the Minister for Health Simon Harris signed the Infectious Diseases (Amendment) Regulations 2018 into law.
This means that the virus (also known as herpes simplex) in newborns must now be notified by all medical practitioners to the Medical Officer of Health in order for control measures to be carried out.
Minister Harris signed the regulations today alongside John and Louise Wills, who have fought for this since they lost their daughter Eibhlín as a result of complications from the disease.
Delighted to sign these new regulations into law today in the presence of John and Louise Wills and in the memory of their beautiful daughter, Eibhlín. This is Eibhlín’s legacy https://t.co/B9tyJOcaJ0
— Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) December 18, 2018
Eibhlín was 12-days-old when she died in December 2015.
She had contracted the cold sore virus days after her birth while she was in the hospital.
Minister Harris took to social media to announce that the regulations had been signed into law.
He wrote, ''Delighted to sign these new regulations into law today in the presence of John and Louise Wills and in the memory of their beautiful daughter, Eibhlín. This is Eibhlín’s legacy.''
Incredible parents. This will make a very positive difference all around the country. Sincere thanks to John and Louise and baby Eibhlín (RIP)
— Gabrielle Colleran (@GabrielleColle7) December 18, 2018
For Eibhlín, blood tests showed no infection for three days after her birth but it was detected in samples taken when she was five days old.
Her family said that their loss was an "unspeakable horror".
Mr. Harris said, ''The loss of an infant is something that most of us cannot even begin to come to terms with, much less turn into something positive.''
He continued, ''That is what makes the work of both John and Louise so extraordinary and powerful. I hope that the inclusion of neonatal Herpes simplex among the diseases that are notifiable will help, in some small way, to increase public awareness of this disease and the danger that it can represent to newborns.''
