Over 800 new coronavirus cases and one further death in Northern Ireland

By Q Radio News & PA

There have been 828 new cases of Covid-19 in Northern Ireland confirmed in the last 24 hours, according to the Department of Health.

Some 4,417 cases have been reported in the last seven days, bringing the overall total number of cases confirmed in the region to 16,187.

One further death has been reported by the department, bringing the toll to 586.

It comes as Stormont's finance minister Conor Murphy announces details of an emergency support scheme for businesses impacted by localised Covid-19 restrictions in the Derry City and Strabane Council area.

Small business will be able to apply for an £800 grant to cover the two-week period of restrictions, with larger businesses eligible for £1,200.

Announcing the grant scheme outside Parliament Buildings at Stormont, Mr Murphy said it was designed to be flexible.

“This scheme is designed in such a way that it could continue on if there is an extension to that over the two weeks without people having to apply again, and also that it can be replicated in other council areas should similar restrictions be imposed there,” he said.

Mr Murphy said the scheme was more generous that similar support packages that had been offered in Great Britain and the Irish Republic.

The executive-funded grant scheme is set to cost £350,000 for the initial two weeks.

Mr Murphy said more money would be required from the Treasury if the region as a whole was to enter another lockdown period.

“If we are into the scenario where we require a six county-wide lockdown scenario, a circuit breaker as some people have said, then that’s a conversation we need to be having with Treasury because the level of support we could bring to the table in that regard is not sufficient to meet the challenges that the economy would face,” he said.