HEALTH OFFICIALS IN Northern Ireland have confirmed a further 426 cases of Covid-19, bringing the total number of positive cases in the North to 103,960.

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

Since the first outbreak of Covid-19, 1,850 people have died with the virus in the North.

There are 731 patients with a confirmed case of Covid-19 in hospitals in Northern Ireland today, with 69 in ICU.

Hospitals are at 90% occupancy, and there are 127 active outbreaks in care homes.

Yesterday, Northern Ireland reported 455 cases and 17 deaths.

Over 220,000 vaccine doses against Covid-19 have been administered in the North as of Thursday, including 166,131 first doses and 24,070 second doses.

The Northern Ireland Executive has decided to keep schools shut until at least 5 March.

Minister for Education Peter Weir said that “the aim would be to start face to face teaching in early March, but all actions on resumption will be dependent on the wider public health situation”.