HEALTH minister Robin Swann has revealed plans to open a second Nightingale facility to tackle the Covid-19 threat ahead of what he believes could be “another full scale assault" by the virus this winter.
Details of the plan came as it emerged that two more people have died after contracting the deadly virus.
It is understood a man in his 80s died in hospital while a woman, also aged her 80s passed away in a nursing home.
The total number of people who have died from coronavirus according to Department of Health figures now stands at 562.
The minister revealed that another 71 people have tested positive for the virus while 463 new cases have been detected in the last seven days.
The total number of people who have contracted the virus now stands at 7,365.
Details of the new centre were revealed by Mr Swann at a Covid-19 briefing yesterday.
The planned Nightingale centre will be located in Whiteabbey Hospital in Co Antrim.
A similar centre was opened at Belfast City Hospital earlier this year to provide more intensive care beds and was wound down in May.
Mr Swann said yesterday he is "increasingly of the view that Covid-19 has the potential for another full scale assault"
"More people will sadly lose their lives and others will suffer long term damage to their health," he said.
"This is going to be a tough winter, the toughest winter the health service has faced in its history.”
He added that his department continues to plan for the winter months.
"My department is finalising a new Covid-19 surge planning strategic framework setting out our preparations for the next peak of infections and winter pressures,” he said.
"As part of this surge plan, I have approved plans for a second Nightingale facility for Northern Ireland.
“This will be a step down facility at Whiteabbey Hospital which will be operational by this winter in order to increase our bed capacity and relieve wider pressures.”
The minister said the facility will provide an “additional 100 regional intermediate care beds to help aid the flow of patients from ICU and acute care”.
He added that there are currently 18 active outbreaks in care home across the north. This represents a significant increase from August where the number of outbreaks was just one.
Chief medical officer Dr Michael McBride said there has been a shift in the pattern of those testing positive for the virus now compared to March.
"For instance two thirds of those testing positive are under the age of 40, and that's why we need to target our message particularly to that age group in terms of their behaviours and activities," he said.
He said a total of 800 calls were made to the NHS testing helpline from the north on Tuesday.
He added that increased pressure on testing is to be expected following the return of children to school in recent days.
It has also emerged that some services at Craigavon Area Hospital could be suspended after a third Covid-19 outbreak was detected.
Two clusters were identified at the hospital last week.
Southern health trust Shane Devlin has said the hospital “is managing” in the current circumstances.
Meanwhile in the Republic one more death has been recorded due to the virus, bringing the overall death toll to 1,777.
