Coronavirus: Grim drone footage of NI COVID-19 graves emerges as UK records deadliest 24 hours so far

On Tuesday evening the News Letter reported on the news a local council in Northern Ireland had started digging graves to be used for people who die after testing positive for COVID-19.

Grim drone footage was filmed and shared on social media by Brendan McKernan.

The footage captures the scale of the new graves in Sixmile Cemetery and Belmont Cemetery in Co. Antrim.

A spokesman for Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council explained why they had taken the decision to start digging the graves.

“As a council we have to fulfil our statutory duties, one of which is the provision of burials.

“We have undertaken a programme of preparatory works at our new Sixmile Cemetery in Antrim to ensure we can meet this requirement, particularly in the context where we might experience any reduction in cemeteries staff due to illness.”

The footage comes on the day the United Kingdom recorded 563 COVID-19 linked deaths - the highest number in a 24 hour period - of those deaths, two were recorded in Northern Ireland.

The latest UK wide stats means the total number of people in the UK to die after testing positive for COVID-19 has risen to 2,352 since the first case of the disease was confirmed in the country on January 30, 2020.

The total number of people to die after testing positive for COVID-19 in Northern Ireland is now 30 - the total number of people to test positive for the virus currently stands at 689.