2 new COVID-19 related deaths and 109 more people diagnosed with the virus

By Peter Moor

2 more people have died over the weekend having contracted Coronavirus in Northern Ireland according to the Department of Health.

These fatalities, which both involved people between the age of 60 and 79, were both reported between 10am on Friday and 10am on Saturday.

Both of these fatalities occured in hospital, with one happening in Belfast and another in Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon.

There's now been 570 COVID-19 related deaths in Northern Ireland according to the Department.

This number mainly covers hospital related deaths unlike the figures released by NISRA on Friday which said 877 people had died in connection with COVID-19.

NISRA uses information based on death certificates whereas the Department of Health only records people who die after testing positive for the virus.

Meanwhile, 109  new cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Northern Ireland in the past 24 hours.

In the past seven days, the Department of Health has recorded 556 new cases of Coronavirus.

It brings the total number of infections here since the start of the pandemic to 8,423.

Department of Health logo

The Department of Health data also showed 24 care homes here now have confirmed outbreaks of the virus, with 8 having suspected outbreaks.

188 care homes now have closed outbreaks.

The dashboard also provides information on the intensive care bed capacity throughout Northern Ireland

2 patients with COVID-19 are now in intensive care, with 79 ICU beds being occupied by other non-COVID-19 patients.

Therefore, there are now just 9 ICU beds unoccupied across the region's hospitals.