'Dark cloud' of Delta variant hangs over reopening plans with 348 Covid cases reported

Concerns are growing that the rising prevalence of the Delta variant of Covid-19 could delay the reopening, but the Tánaiste said the decision won't be made until next week

Diners on Princes Street in Cork city. Picture: Michael O'Sullivan /OSM PHOTO

A further 348 new cases of Covid-19 have been reported to the Department of Health.

The number of people in intensive care units is 13, unchanged from yesterday.

There are 41 hospitalised being treated for the virus.

A “final call” on whether there can be further easing of restrictions on 5 July cannot be made until next week, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar has said.

Speaking in Dublin today, he said the Government can only make a decision once it has been briefed by the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) as to what the Covid-19 virus is doing.

Mr Varadkar said that as things stand, the plan is still to ease restrictions on July 5, which will see a return to indoor dining and drinking, allow 50 people allowed attend a wedding and permit four households to gather indoors.

The Fine Gael leader said, as with all other recent announcements, a final call can only be made closer to the time.

On a positive note, Mr Varadkar said that hospital numbers are falling, and the vaccination programme is going very well, but the Delta variant does represent a “dark cloud”.

He acknowledged there is concern within government that there has been between a 30% and 40% increase in cases and hospitalisations there over the last week.

However, he stressed that this is coming from a very low base.

Tánaiste Leo Varadkar apologised for the uncertainty surrounding reopening plans.

Asked about the frustration among the public and business community as to the lack of clarity being given, Mr Varadkar said: “I am sorry if it is confusing. I appreciate how annoying and frustrating this is for people.

“I totally get how horrible the uncertainty is."

The government will not press go on the reopening on July 5 until after next week’s Cabinet meeting.

“The decision is not made,” he said.

He said that a number of key metrics have to be taken into consideration when deciding on whether or not to proceed with the easing of restrictions.

The government is looking to data in the UK, which is far more advanced in its reopening than Ireland, and has a higher rate of the Delta variant, said Varadkar.

Earlier today, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly has said it’s “too early to say” if a further reopening of society will be delayed by a few weeks due to the Delta variant of Covid-19.

There has been a focus this week on how the Delta variant could impact the reopening of indoor hospitality on 5 July.

The variant now accounts for 20% of all of last week’s case numbers.

Nphet will brief the Government next Wednesday on the epidemiological situation in Ireland, ahead of the next phase of reopening.