While the Duke and Duchess of Sussex visited Ireland yesterday, Prince William made a gaffe about COVID-19 - the virus sweeping the globe with a mortality rate of 3.4 percent.
“I bet everyone’s like ‘I’ve got coronavirus, I’m dying’, and you’re like ‘no, you’ve just got a cough’, he said while visiting the Home of Guinness in Dublin.
“Does it seem quite dramatic about coronavirus at the moment? Is it being a little bit hyped up do you think in the media?
"By the way, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are spreading coronavirus!
“Sorry! We’re keeping an eye on that, so do tell us if we need to stop!”
Twitter users were quick to blast the Duke's comments as 'very ignorant', with one adding: 'How pathetic. It is not surprising that Prince William is so out of touch and ridiculous to joke about something that has killed so many.'
His gaffe comes after the NHS declared the virus outbreak a 'national major incident' and the government predicted that '20 percent of all workers will be off sick.' The government's first plan of action is 'containing the outbreak', as the cases in the UK rose from 39 to 51 yesterday. If the virus continues to spread, the police services might need to concentrate on the most serious crimes. The military may also be asked to support the emergency services. Out of the positive cases in the UK, 12 people have recovered.
Plenty of people have decided to err on the side of caution, stocking up on tins, rice and wine, anti-bac wipes. As for celebs? It seems they're fully buying into face masks, a la Gwyneth Paltrow.
READ MORE: Coronavirus: Widespread Transmission Is Now 'Highly Likely' As UK Cases Reach 36