Northern Ireland

2 deaths, 138 new cases of coronavirus

The coronavirus death toll in Northern Ireland stands at 2,099 since the pandemic began
The coronavirus death toll in Northern Ireland stands at 2,099 since the pandemic began The coronavirus death toll in Northern Ireland stands at 2,099 since the pandemic began

Two more people with Covid-19 have died and 138 new cases have been diagnosed.

One of the deaths was outside the most recent 24-hour reporting period and the death toll now stands at 2,057, the Department of Health has confirmed.

Of the 138 people to test positive in the most recent 24-hour reporting period the majority (35) were Belfast City Council residents.

There are 302 people in hospital who have tested positive for Covid-19 and 34 of them are in ICU with 29 being ventilated.

Hospital admissions of people with Covid-19 have dropped in the rolling seven-day period from 168 to 105.

Bed occupancy in the north's hospitals is at 91%. 

The rolling seven-day transmission rate is 82.4 per 100,000 of the population for the dates February 22-28, down from 109.2 in the previous seven days. Mid Ulster council has the highest rate (107.1) and Fermanagh and Omagh the lowest (41.1).

In the same seven-day period, the highest number of new cases was among the 20-39 age group with 630 people testing positive; followed by the 40-59 group (467) and 0-19 group (209). 

In the same period, there were 16 deaths, down from 39 in the previous seven days.

Coronavirus clusters are present in 26 care homes.

Meanwhile, the Department of Health confirmed that to date 558,597 vaccines have been administered, of which 525,400 were first doses and 33,197 were second doses.

And in the Republic there has been one further death, and 687 new cases of Covid-19.