Nine further Covid-19 related deaths as NI records highest case rates since January

Nine further deaths of patients who had tested positive for Covid-19 have been reported in Northern Ireland.

The Department of Health said there have also been 1,320 new confirmed cases of the virus in the last 24-hour reporting period.

On Monday morning there were 352 Covid-positive patients in hospital, of whom 43 were in intensive care.

It comes as Northern Ireland and Wales have recorded their highest rates of new cases of Covid-19 since January, as the third wave of coronavirus continues to pick up pace across the country, new figures show.

Fermanagh & Omagh also has the highest rate of any local authority in the UK, with a total of 1,003.9 cases per 100,000 people recorded in the seven days to August 18.

This is the first time that any local authority in Northern Ireland has recorded rates over 1,000 since comparable records began in summer 2020, when mass testing was first introduced.

The figures show how the third wave of coronavirus, which began in the UK at the end of May of this year, is once again on the rise after a period last month when it appeared cases may have peaked.

Around two-thirds (67%) of all local authority areas across the UK are currently recording an increase in case rates, including every area in Wales, all but one area in Northern Ireland (Mid Ulster) and all areas on mainland Scotland, according to analysis by the PA news agency.

Northern Ireland's rate of new cases currently stands at 579.5 per 100,000 people, the highest since January 8. while Wales is now at 297.4 per 100,000, the highest since 16 January.

Northern Ireland is estimated to have given a first jab to only 68% of 18 to 29-year-olds, compared with 71% in England, 73% in Scotland and 76% in Wales.

A "Big Jab Weekend" was held over the weekend in an attempt to encourage people to come forward for their first dose, with health officials saying at least 8,000 vaccinations were delivered over the past two days.

The Department of Health has said 12,194 first doses were administered on Saturday and Sunday.