Coronavirus: NI death toll rockets to 158 as 18 more people die in 24 period

The number of deaths reported on Thursday is three times the number of deaths reported on Wednesday.

A further 113 people have also tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 24 hours taking the total number of cases in Northern Ireland to 2,201.

Thirty two per cent of the people who tested positive for COVID-19 in Northern Ireland were aged between 0 and 44; 37 per cent aged between 45 and 69 and 30 per cent over the age of 70.

The spike in the number of deaths comes less than 24 hours after First Minister Arlene Foster confirmed social distancing measures must remain in place in Northern Ireland for at least three more weeks.

The figures released by the PHA reflects the number of hospital deaths and do not include the number of people to die in care homes or in the community.