3 further covid-19 related deaths recorded in NI

By Q Radio News

There have been three further deaths linked to Covid-19 in Northern Ireland in the past 24 hours, according to the Department of Health.

An additional 1,115 positive cases have also been reported. 

To date, 2,550,278 vaccines have been administered in total.

NI #COVID19 data has been updated:

📊1,115 positive cases and sadly, 3 deaths have been reported in the past 24 hours.

💉2,550,278 vaccines administered in total.

Vaccines ➡️ https://t.co/Yfa0hHVmRL

The dashboard will be updated on Monday 11 October. pic.twitter.com/fkqt3yZ890

— Department of Health (@healthdpt) October 10, 2021

Meanwhile, there have been a further 1,384 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the Republic of Ireland.

As of Sunday morning, there were 382 Covid-19 patients in hospitals with the disease, with 74 of those in intensive care units.

It comes as COVID-19 and flu are co-circulating this year for the first time and those who catch both are twice as likely to die, early evidence suggests, amid fears of a "twindemic".

Jenny Harries, chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), also warned that there could be multiple strains of flu ahead of an uncertain winter.

Speaking to Sky's Trevor Phillips on Sunday, she said what is different this year is that COVID and flu are co-circulating - which increases the risk of serious illness and death.

Asked how worried the public should be about flu this winter, she said: "We should be worried about flu each winter. I think people still don't realise it can be a fatal disease.

Recent studies suggest that about 25% of us don't actually understand that. On average, over the last five years, about 11,000 people have died with flu-related conditions.

"But I think the important thing about this winter is, we are likely to see flu, for the first time in any real numbers, co-circulating with COVID."

She added: "So the risks of catching both together still remain. And if you do that, then early evidence suggests that you are twice as likely to die from having two together, than just having COVID alone.

"So I think it's an uncertain winter ahead - that's not a prediction it's an uncertain feature - but we do know that flu cases have been lower in the previous year so immunity and the strain types are a little more uncertain."