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Nine more Covid-19 deaths recorded in north and 24 in south

There have been 44 new positive cases of coronavirus recorded in Northern Ireland.
There have been 44 new positive cases of coronavirus recorded in Northern Ireland. There have been 44 new positive cases of coronavirus recorded in Northern Ireland.

NINE more people have died with coronavirus in Northern Ireland according to latest figures from the Department of Health.

One of the deaths - which brought the total to 447 since the pandemic began - was within the previous 24 hours while the other eight happened earlier but have only just been reported.

There were 19 people being treated in ICU beds and 44 more positive test for the virus.

In the Republic, 24 more people died from Covid-19 and there were 107 new cases.

It brings total deaths in the south to 1,488, with the total number of positive test results 23,242.

Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan said as of Tuesday morning there were 71 people in intensive care units receiving treatment for coronavirus.

A new Oireachtas committee set up to examine the Irish government's response to the pandemic is to invite Dr Holohan and the head of the Health Service Executive to appear next week.

The committee agreed to meet on two occasions next week and will invite Dr Tony Holohan and Paul Reid to appear as witnesses.

The decision comes following hours of private discussions.

Independent TD Michael McNamara was elected chairman during the inaugural sitting.

Meanwhile, NHS England announced 350 more deaths of people who had tested positive for Covid-19, bringing the total in hospitals in England to 23,709.

Some of the deaths happened on previous days and weeks.

This is due to the time it takes for deaths to be confirmed as testing positive for Covid-19, for post-mortem examinations to be processed and for data from tests to be validated.

The highest number of deaths recorded on any day was April 8 with a total of 887.

In Scotland, a total of 1,912 people have now died after testing positive for coronavirus, up 50 from Monday.

The most recent figures for deaths in Scotland's care homes, published on Wednesday May 6, show they make up 43 per cent of all registered Covid-19 deaths - a similar figure to Northern Ireland.

Public Health Wales said a total of 1,132 people have died after testing positive for coronavirus, an increase of 16 on Monday's figures.