Five further Covid related deaths and 1,549 new cases of the virus

Hospitals in Northern Ireland are coming under immense pressure due to coronavirus.
Credit: UTV

There have been a further five deaths of patients who had previously tested positive for Covid-19 in Northern Ireland.

In the past week, the Department of Health has recorded 29 deaths in relation to the virus.

Its death toll since the start of the pandemic now stands at 2,856.

Another 1,549 positive cases of the virus have also been notified by the Department of Health.

They are just some of the 11,514 cases diagnosed in the past week in Northern Ireland..

On Thursday morning there were 395 Covid-positive patients in hospital, with 35 in intensive care.

Hospital occupancy levels remain extremely high with the Antrim, City, Mater, Royal, South West Acute and Ulster Hospitals all operating over capacity.