LISTEN: Nine new deaths from Covid-19

Q Radio News and PA.

Some 9 people who tested positive for coronavirus have died in the last 24 hours in Northern Ireland. 

That is according to the daily update from the Public Health Agency, bringing its total for the region to 347.

The latest figures released by the Department of Health show there are 33 patients being treated in intensive care units for confirmed or suspected cases of covid-19.

Meanwhile, around 848 patients are currently being treated for the virus, with 3,510 people having already been discharged from hospital.

In the Republic of Ireland, a further 43 deaths have been confirmed, bringing the total to 1232.

During today's Ad Hoc Committee, Health Minister Robin Swann said he wanted to give reassurance that testing is growing, and will continue to "as rapidly as possible".

He said that on Wednesday 2,243 tests were carried out or completed, the "highest daily number".

"At the start of this pandemic, the HSC laboratory service had capacity of around 40 tests per day," he said.

"The latest number of tests carried out that will be officially reported later today are 1,419 in our local labs, and a further 824 as part of the national testing programme at the three local testing sites.

"That means yesterday we carried out or completed a total of 2,243 tests, our highest daily number to date."

📽️: Health Minister Robin Swan gave a statement to the Ad hoc Committee today on his departments progress on the fight against Coronavirus 👇 https://t.co/bVn50nw77e

— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) April 30, 2020

The Health Minister warned about the dangers of complacency, suggesting that the impact of Covid-19 across the community had 'has not been as serious as we first feared."

"That does not mean the warnings were misplaced, it means the warnings were taken seriously and people stayed at home," he said.

"Northern Ireland remains on a knife edge."

Mr Swann said he wanted to give reassurance that testing is growing, and will continue to "as rapidly as possible"."

Professor Ian Young, Chief Scientific Adviser for NI says a "wide variety of drugs are being tested" and patients from NI are being invited to take part in clinical trials. pic.twitter.com/GJgjJ6ixde

— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) April 30, 2020

"At the start of this pandemic, the HSC laboratory service had capacity of around 40 tests per day," he said.

"The latest number of tests carried out that will be officially reported later today are 1,419 in our local labs, and a further 824 as part of the national testing programme at the three local testing sites.

"That means yesterday we carried out or completed a total of 2,243 tests, our highest daily number to date."

Turning to the continuation of the lockdown, Mr Swann said there are no easy decisions.

"The time will come for a discussion on what comes next and we have to face this together honestly and openly," he said.

"There will not be any easy decisions because we recognise that simply maintaining the current lockdown indefinitely could have serious repercussions for many people's mental and physical wellbeing.

"We will all have to weigh up our options very carefully, working closely with colleagues across these islands to ensure that we take the right decisions at the right time."