Coronavirus: Hospitality industry losses 'in hundreds of thousands'

Northern Ireland pubs have lost hundreds of thousands of pounds while feeling the "pain" of the coronavirus crisis, an industry chief has claimed.

Hospitality Ulster head Colin Neill warned the fear must not "become bigger than the actual challenge".

He described the cancellation of one of Ireland's Six Nations rugby fixtures due to the virus as a blow to pubs.

There have been two confirmed cases of coronavirus on the island of Ireland, one on each side of the border.

• The first person to test positive was a woman in Northern Ireland who had recently returned home from northern Italy.

• The second was a male student who attends a Dublin secondary school that has since been closed for 14 days as part of the Republic's infection-control measures.

  Worldwide, there have been almost 90,000 confirmed cases of the disease.

  The number of people who have died after being diagnosed with Covid-19 has exceeded 3,000.

  What we should do to prevent catching and spreading the virus?

• Wash hands frequently with soaps and water or uses a sanitizer gel

• Catch cough and sneezes with disposable tissue

• Throw away used tissues

• Avoid touching your eyes,nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

• Avoid close contact with people who are unwell.

The postponement of the Ireland v Italy rugby match is a financial hit for pubs, says Colin Neill

Extra effort is being made on hygiene in the hospitality industry, says Colin Neill