Prince William asked emergency workers during an event in Ireland whether they believe the coronavirus is being "hyped up."
The Duke of Cambridge is overheard on video chatting to emergency workers during a reception Tuesday night at the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin.
"I bet everyone’s like, 'I've got coronavirus, I’m dying,' and you’re like, 'No, you’ve just got a cough,'" William said. "It does seem quite dramatic about coronavirus at the moment. Is it being a little bit hyped up, do you think, in the media?"
The U.K. has at least 51 reported cases of coronavirus, while Ireland has two confirmed cases.
During the evening, William joked that he and his wife, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, were spreading the coronavirus.
"By the way, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are spreading coronavirus. Sorry!" William said. "We’re keeping an eye on that, so do tell us if we need to stop."
The royal couple were pictured at the event holding pints of Guinness in the brewery's Gravity Bar, which includes views of Dublin. William toasted the "very special relationship between our two countries."
The visit is William and Kate's first official trip to Ireland.