21 new Covid-19 deaths as total number of infections edges closer to 100,000
The Department of Health (DoH) has recorded an additional 21 Covid-19 related deaths in Northern Ireland in the last 24 hours.
The total number of Covid related deaths to have occurred in Northern Ireland since the pandemic began in 2020 is now 1,692.
Sixteen of the 21 deaths occurred in the last 24 hours while five, which were recorded for the first time yesterday, occurred outside the last 24 hour period.
Fifteen of the 21 people to die were female and six were male.
Ten of the people to die were aged between 60 and 79 and 11 were aged 80 or older.
Fifteen of the individuals sadly passed away in a hospital setting and six died in a residential/care home setting.
The 21 deaths occurred in the following local council areas: Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon (five); Antrim and Newtownabbey (four); Mid and East Antrim (one); Mid Ulster (two); Causeway, Coast and Glens (four); Newry, Mourne and Down (two); Ards (two) and Fermanagh (one).
The DoH also recorded a further 732 new coronavirus infections in the last 24 hours.
It takes the total number of individuals to test positive for the virus in the last seven days and since the pandemic began to 5,563 and 98,351 respectively.
There are 26 fewer patients with Covid-19 in hospitals in Northern Ireland than there was yesterday however there are three more people in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) - the total now being 70.
There are also 57 patients with Covid-19 requiring ventilator treatment.
Across Northern Ireland hospital bed capacity remains at 96 per cent.