Prince William jokes with medics about 'spreading coronavirus' with Kate Middleton on Ireland trip

Prince William asked the paramedic whether the coronavirus was being "hyped up by the media". Photo / The Royal Family Channel

While on tour in Ireland with Kate Middleton, Prince William joked to paramedics about the coronavirus outbreak.

As he spoke to emergency workers at a reception hosted by Britain's Ambassador to Ireland Robin Barnett in the Gravity Bar at Dublin's Guinness Storehouse, he made sarcastic remarks about how the medics would deal with Covid-19.

The dad-of-three asked Joe Mooney, an advance paramedic with the National Ambulance Service: "I bet everyone's like 'I've got coronavirus, I'm dying', and you're like 'No, you've just got a cough'.

"Does it seem quite dramatic about coronavirus at the moment? Is it being a little bit hyped up do you think in the media?"

William also joked about him and his wife spreading the virus to their loyal fans.

"By the way, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are spreading coronavirus, sorry," he said.

"We're keeping an eye on that, so do tell us if we need to stop."

The couple shook hands with dozens of people on the first day of their tour and are expected to continue to do so, based on advice they are being given.

A royal source told the Sun that the couple was following guidance from Public Health England and the Department of Health.

"This is a discussion we have been having and everything we are doing should continue as usual," said the source.

The Queen wears gloves as she awards the CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) to Anne Craig. Photo / AP

The Prince's jokes come after the Queen was spotted wearing gloves at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace.

She reportedly wore them to protect herself against the coronavirus outbreak.

Yesterday the Duchess of Cornwall joked she was "self-isolating" during a visit to the Transport Museum in an apparent quip on the coronavirus.

She uttered the words when she jumped into a one-person air-raid shelter at the museum during a tour she took with Prince Charles, to mark the 20th anniversary of Transport for London.

The Duchess wore gloves during the engagement but Charles did not, and the couple shook hands with some of those they met.