NORTHERN IRELAND HAS confirmed that a further 822 individuals have tested positive for Covid-19.

Northern Ireland’s Department of Health reported that 25 more people have died with the virus in its latest update this afternoon.

Four of the deaths occurred outside the most recent 24 hour reporting period.

In total, there have been 95,361 Covid-19 cases in Northern Ireland and 1,606 deaths since the first outbreak of the virus last year. 

Hospital occupancy in the North is currently at 93%, with 840 hospitalised patients having a confirmed case of Covid-19.

67 Covid-19 patients are in ICU.

There are 139 active outbreaks of Covid-19 in care homes in the North.

Yesterday, there were 705 cases and 22 deaths confirmed in Northern Ireland.

Current restrictions in place in the North until 6 February mean that people must stay at home unless they have a “reasonable excuse” to leave, such as grocery shopping, exercising, vising someone in their bubble or receiving medical care.

Households, aside from some exceptions, are not allowed to meet indoors in private homes or gardens.

Northern Ireland’s Minister for Health Robin Swann has said that the health service is “facing unparalleled pressures and those who work for it are already exhausted and traumatised”.

“The time lag between people getting Covid and needing hospital treatment means our hospitals are now dealing with the consequences of the spike in infections in previous weeks and sadly we are also seeing this bear out in the number of deaths reported,” Swann said.