HEALTH OFFICIALS IN Northern Ireland have confirmed that 451 more people have tested positive for Covid-19.

Additionally, the Department of Health has reported that seven more people have died with Covid-19 in the North.

In total, 54,628 have now tested positive for Covid-19 in Northern Ireland, while 1,039 have died.

Belfast reported the highest number of cases in today’s figure with 60 new cases, followed closely by the local government district of Newry, Mourne, and Down, where there has been 57 new cases.

Hospital occupancy, which was at 100% in recent days, has dropped slightly to 99%.

394 patients with Covid-19 are hospitalised, with 33 Covid-19 patients in ICU.

Currently, there are 114 active outbreaks of Covid-19 in care homes around Northern Ireland.

The Northern Ireland Executive has agreed on temporary household bubbling arrangements for the Christmas period.

Between 23 and 27 December, households will be able to form a “Christmas bubble”.

“This can be composed of up to three households and one of the three households can include an existing bubble arrangement,” the official guidance in Northern Ireland says.

“The households in your bubble cannot be part of other Christmas bubbles during the 5 day period you cannot change your bubble mid-way through – once you are in a Christmas bubble you can’t start another with a different household,” the guidance says.

The first batch of Covid-19 vaccines sent to Northern Ireland arrived yesterday, with vaccinations due to begin from early next week.

The first people to receive the vaccine will be vaccinators themselves, followed them by residents and staff of care homes and health and social care workers.

Health Minister Robin Swann said that the delivery of the vaccines was “hugely welcome”.

“Vaccination will be a massive long-term logistical challenge. Our rate of progress will depend on available supplies that will be distributed as part of a UK-wide programme,” he said.

Yesterday, six deaths and 449 cases of Covid-19 were confirmed in Northern Ireland.