LATEST: No further deaths but 50 more cases of virus, publicans warn of ‘full blown crisis’

No further coronavirus-related deaths have been recorded but 50 new cases of Covid-19 were confirmed this evening.

It means the overall death toll as a result of the virus remains at 1,763. There are now 26,303 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the country, according to the latest daily briefing from the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET).

No new infections were recorded in Kilkenny, where the number of cases remains the same at 357.

The latest cases were confirmed as publican representative groups accused the Government of abandoning smaller bars across the country. It comes after yesterday annoucement that pubs will no reopen next Monday as planned.

Pubs will not now reopen until August 31 at the earliest.

Reacting to the delayed reopening, the Licenced Vintners Association (LVA) and the Vintners’ Federation of Ireland (VFI) said 3,500 pubs across Ireland had been expecting to reopen next week but must now remain closed.

LVA chief executive Donall O’Keeffe said the decision to delay the reopening of pubs “will be met with both fury and despair across the entire sector”.

He added: “It is creating intolerable pressure on those pubs still closed, their 25,000 staff, suppliers to the industry and all their families.”

VFI chief Padraig Cribben said: “This is Groundhog Day for the trade as twice now the reopening of pubs has been postponed. The new Government’s decision has caused grave alarm within the trade as publicans face an extremely uncertain future with little to feel optimistic about.

“Make no mistake, this is a full-blown crisis for the trade as over 3,500 pubs must now remain shut.”