Children could be given antibiotics if they've come into contact with a Strep A outbreak in school.
Lab tests are continuing to determine if the bug is linked to the death of a young girl in the HSE's north east and north Dublin area.
Public health officials will meet today to discuss the situation while GPs and hospitals have been told to be on the alert for symptoms.
Minister Stephen Donnelly says children could be given preventative antibiotics in settings where there have been cases of the infection:
"The chief medical officer was saying this morning that these will be looked at on a case by case basis and a team will look to that and make the appropriate call for an individual class."
