Northern Ireland

Delta variant cases 'rise sharply' in north

Facilities set up for coronavirus surge testing at Ballymartin GAC in Kilkeel, Co Down, on Monday after several suspected cases of the Delta variant were identified in the area. Picture by Liam McBurney, Press Association
Facilities set up for coronavirus surge testing at Ballymartin GAC in Kilkeel, Co Down, on Monday after several suspected cases of the Delta variant were identified in the area. Picture by Liam McBurney, Press Association Facilities set up for coronavirus surge testing at Ballymartin GAC in Kilkeel, Co Down, on Monday after several suspected cases of the Delta variant were identified in the area. Picture by Liam McBurney, Press Association
By Claire Simpson and Press Association

THE number of suspected cases of the highly infectious Covid-19 Delta variant has risen sharply, according to reports.

A cluster of 26 Delta cases was confirmed in Kilkeel, Co Down, last week.

However, the BBC reported last night that 80 Delta cases have now been recorded across the north.

The Delta - or Indian - variant is thought to be 40 per cent more transmissible than the Kent - or Alpha - variant, which remains the dominant strain in Northern Ireland.

More than 1,000 people have volunteered to be tested in Kilkeel.

Kilkeel Primary School has been closed for a deep clean after three further positive cases linked to the school were confirmed.

In a Facebook post, the school's principal said it will be closed today and tomorrow and pupils will revert to online learning.

Kilkeel High School was also closed for a deep clean.

According to the latest figures, a further 105 people have tested positive for Covid-19 in Northern Ireland but no new deaths have been recorded.

Hospitals are treating 18 patients with coronavirus but none are in intensive care, the Department of Health said yesterday.

A total of 123,372 people have been diagnosed with the disease since the pandemic began.

In the Republic, a further 259 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday.

Hospitals are treating 76 Covid patients, including 27 in intensive care.

Meanwhile, new figures raise further concerns that the UK is entering a third coronavirus wave.

One in 10 UK local areas (38 out of 380) are currently recording Covid-19 rates above 100 cases per 100,000 people.

This is the highest number of areas above this threshold since March 23.

They now include areas including Blackpool, with 111.2 cases per 100,000, up week-on-week from 43.7; East Dunbartonshire in Scotland (110.5, up from 64.4); Staffordshire Moorlands (100.6, up from 32.5); Leicester (100.5, up from 83.3); and Cheshire West & Chester (100.3, up from 31.2).

In total, 309 of the UK's 380 local authority areas recorded a week-on-week rise in Covid-19 case rates in the latest figures - the highest proportion since the start of January.