Covid-19: One death, 2,148 new cases

By Q Radio News

One further person has died with Covid-19 and an additional 2,148 new cases have been diagnosed.

There are 246 people who have tested positive for Covid-19 in hospital, of whom 34 are in ICU.

Hospitals are 67  beds over capacity.

Of the 34 people with Covid in ICU, 23 are being ventilated.

The highest percentage of people testing positive is now five to nine year olds (1.5%). 

The death toll since the pandemic began stands at 2,952 and 22 of those deaths occurred within the past seven days.

The average seven-day infection rate is 772.7 with Ards and North Down council area recording the highest rate (874.3), followed by Derry City and Strabane (831.5).

Causeway Coast and Glens has the lowest rate (575.1).

There are Covid outbreaks in 41 care homes.

Meanwhile, in the Republic a further 4,799 cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed.

As of 8am today, 467 Covid-19 patients are hospitalised, of which 104 are in ICU.

Dr Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer, said:

“The level of disease and positivity rate amongst young adults has increased sharply in the last week."

"One in four people in the 16 to 34-year-old age group that are going for a PCR test have received a “detected” result.

"This is one of the highest rates since the beginning of the pandemic."