12 further covid-19 related deaths and 793 positive cases in NI

By Q Radio News

Twelve further covid-19 related deaths have been reported in Northern Ireland. 

One of the deaths occurred outside of the past 24 hours. 

The Department of Health said there had also been 793 new confirmed cases from 3,588 tests since yesterday. 

Meanwhile, this morning there were 418 covid positive patients in hospital, with 46 in intensive care. 

So far, 2,452,955 vaccines have been administered.

NI #COVID19 data has been updated:

📊793 positive cases and sadly, 12 deaths have been reported in the past 24 hours.

💉2,452,955 vaccines administered in total.

Dashboard ➡️https://t.co/YN16dmGzhv
Vaccines➡️ https://t.co/Yfa0hHVmRL pic.twitter.com/A6MgeprwJR

— Department of Health (@healthdpt) September 2, 2021

The latest figures come as the Education Secretary has insisted children must return to a "normal pre-pandemic" experience in schools, despite the risk of an increase in COVID cases.

Gavin Williamson said testing would be key to guarding against rising infection rates, but refused to outline what the government's "contingency plan" for other potential measures might involve.

Experts are predicting a surge in covid-19 cases linked to classrooms reopening, with the minister refusing to rule out a potential rise, despite being asked repeatedly on Sky News.

He told Niall Paterson: "This is why we're doing the testing programme and we're encouraging children to take part in it, parents, and of course teachers and support staff as well.

"This is a way of rooting out covid. 

"We're trying to strike that constant, sensible balance of actually giving children as normal experience in the classroom as possible, but also recognising we're still dealing with a global pandemic."

He added that there was capacity to both give vaccinations to 12 to 15-year-olds and deliver a booster programme.

"We've got the capacity to be able to deliver vaccinations for children as well as deliver a booster programme - so it's not either/or," he said.

"It's a situation about making sure we combat this virus as best as possible and we're ready.

"If we get the get-go from JCVI (Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation) we're ready - the NHS, which has been so successful in rolling out this programme of vaccination, is ready to go into schools and deliver that vaccination programme for children."

Mr Williamson said other measures could be introduced if necessary.

"Of course, we do have a contingency framework if there's areas of particular need that we do have to take further action," he said.