NORTHERN IRELAND HAS announced that 276 further cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed.

In its latest update this afternoon, Northern Ireland’s Department of Health said that three more people have died with Covid-19.

One of the deaths occurred outside of the last 24 hour reporting period.

Today’s figures bring the total number of cases confirmed in the North to 110,716 and the number of people who have died to 2,029

Hospitals in Northern Ireland are currently operating at 95% occupancy and there are 392 patients with a confirmed case of Covid-19 in hospital.

There are 47 Covid-19 patients in ICU in the North and 47 active outbreaks of the virus in care homes.

Of the cases reported today, 71 are in Belfast, 41 are in Mid Ulster, 36 are in Mid and East Antrim and another 36 are in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon.

The latest Covid-19 Infection Survey by Northern Ireland’s Department of Health, published yesterday, estimates that 0.97% of the population were infected had Covid-19 during the week of 6 February – around 1 in every 105 people.

“This is based on statistical modelling of the trend in rates of positive nose and throat swab results. Modelling suggests that in the most recent week, the percentage of people testing positive in Northern Ireland decreased,” the Department of Health said.

“In the latest six-week period, there were 23,663 swab tests taken in total from 11,411 participants. Of these, 292 participants tested positive from 257 different households,” it said.

“For the most recent week of the study, positivity rates remain higher for those aged 20 to 35 years old than in older ages. However rates appear to be decreasing across all ages in recent weeks.”

As of Thursday, 466,524 vaccines against Covid-19 have been administered in Northern Ireland, including 436,143 first doses and 30,381 second doses.