Northern Ireland

No further deaths linked to Covid-19 as 66 new cases recorded

Department of Health reported 66 new cases of Covid-19 today but no further deaths
Department of Health reported 66 new cases of Covid-19 today but no further deaths Department of Health reported 66 new cases of Covid-19 today but no further deaths

No further deaths linked to Covid-19 have been recorded in the last 24 hours.

It is the eighth consecutive day that no deaths have been reported by the Department of Health.

Another 66 cases of the virus were confirmed in the same period by the department.

There are 28 patients in hospital who have tested positive for Covid-19. Two of these are in intensive care and one is on ventilation.

Bed occupancy is 104 per cent with hospitals being 135 beds over capacity. Seven hospitals are operating beyond capacity; Antrim Hospital, Belfast City Hospital, the Causeway Hospital in Coleraine, the Mater Hospital in north Belfast, the Royal Victoria Hospital in west Belfast, the South West Acute Hospital in Enniskillen and the Ulster Hospital in Dundonald.

There are four confirmed outbreaks in care homes.

The seven-day infection rate in the north is now 28.7 per 100,000. The area with the highest rate remains Derry and Strabane at 69.7 while Ards and North Down remains the lowest at 5.6.

Latest vaccination figures show 1,660,981 jabs have been administered; 1,030,811 first doses and 630,170 second doses.

Meanwhile, there have been 448 additional confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the Republic of Ireland.

There are currently 99 patients in hospital with the disease, of whom 41 are in intensive care units.

Daily case numbers may change due to future data review, validation and update, as a result of the HSE cyber attack.