LAST UPDATE | 10 Jun 2020

HEALTH OFFICIALS HAVE confirmed that a further five people have died from Covid-19 in Ireland. 

The Department of Health also confirmed a further 19 cases of coronavirus here. 

It comes the same day as the arrival of the country’s biggest-ever consignment of personal protective equipment (PPE) at Shannon Airport.

Meanwhile, the government has also announced a €75 million package to allow childcare facilities to re-open after the pandemic – which may enable parents across the country to return to work. 

Here are today’s Covid-19 main points: 

• Health officials have confirmed that five more people have died from Covid-19 in Ireland.  
• Hoteliers have said there was a spike in bookings after the announcement of an “accelerated” road map to reopen Ireland, but added that further clarity is needed on the 2m social-distancing rule, music events and weddings. 
• Plans for earlier reopening of hairdressers and beauty salons are being discussed this week, the Taoiseach told 2fm’s Breakfast show this morning.
• Almost one million surgical gowns have arrived in Shannon Airport on board the Antonov AN-225, the world’s largest aircraft. 
• The summer special educational needs programme will be expanded to include children with Down Syndrome and any youngster who is at risk of regression, Education Minister Joe McHugh has said.
• Dealing with the coronavirus emergency has fast-tracked the rebuilding of working relationships derailed by Stormont’s powersharing crisis, Northern Ireland’s leaders have said.
• Over the next three months, a quarter of businesses expect to have earnings that are 70% below their usual level, according to a survey published today by Chambers Ireland.
• Monsoon Accessorize is to close four Irish stores after administrators were appointed to the two companies last night. 
• Concern has been in the Dáil that no compliance notices for errors in return-to-work rules have been issued by the HSA following some 800 Covid-19 inspections.
• Garda Ombudsman GSoc has received 169 complaints from members of the public where an aspect of garda enforcement of Covid-19 restrictions is mentioned as a factor.

Here are today’s international Covid-19 main points: 

• British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to announce later that zoos, safari parks and drive-in cinema can reopen in England from 15 June, in the latest easing of the Covid-19 lockdown. 
• The number of suspected and confirmed deaths from Covid-19 in Britain has passed the milestone of 50,000, the government has confirmed. 
• The UK economy is set to be the hardest hit among the world’s developed countries due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has warned. 
• A Brazilian Supreme Court justice has ordered the government to resume publication of full Covid-19 data, including the cumulative death toll, following allegations that officials were trying to hide the severity of the pandemic.
• A top WHO official has clarified her remarks that transmission of the new coronavirus from asymptomatic carriers was “very rare”, citing a “misunderstanding”.
• At least eight doctors working for Nicaragua‘s public health system have been fired for criticising the government’s response to the pandemic, according to medical professionals.
• The WHO’s Michael Ryan has warned that the Covid-19 pandemic is “still evolving” and is “by no means over”.