Nine Covid-19 deaths and 2,004 new cases diagnosed

By Q Radio News

Nine more people have died with Covid-19 and a further 2,004 new cases have been diagnosed.

There are 370 people in hospital who have tested positive for Covid-19, of whom 33 are receiving specialist care in ICU.

Of those 33 people, 22 are being ventilated. 

Hospitals have more patients than beds and 211 people are awaiting admission.

Children aged 10 to 14 continue to be the age group with the highest number of new cases in the past seven days (17.2%).

The infection rate across Northern Ireland is 623.9 per 100,000 people with Mid Ulster council area recording the highest rate (741.9), followed by Mid and East Antrim (718.7) and Antrim and Newtownabbey (703.8).

Derry City and Strabane has the lowest infection rate (474.6).

The death toll stands at 2,865 with 36 of those deaths occurring in the past seven days.

There are outbreaks in 33 care homes. 

Earlier today the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (Nisra) confirmed it had recorded 44 deaths in its latest weekly bulletin.

The figure represents a drop in the weekly toll, down from 49 in the previous week.

Meanwhile, in the Republic a further 4,620 new cases have been reported and there are 572 people in hospital with 118 in ICU.