NI records highest number of daily Covid-19 deaths since beginning of pandemic

In total, the Department of Health (DoH) reported 26 Covid related deaths in the 24 hours to 10.00am on Friday January 15, 2021.

Twenty-two deaths occurred in the last 24 hour period however four occurred outside this timeframe but were recorded for the first time.

It takes Northern Ireland’s Covid-19 death-toll to 1,559.

The 26 deaths occurred in the following local council areas: Belfast (four); Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon (four); Antrim and Newtownabbey (two); Mid and East Antrim (two); Mid Ulster (two); Lisburn and Castlereagh (two); Derry City and Strabane (two); Newry Mourne and Down (two); Ards (two); Fermanagh (one) and unknown (three).

Twenty of those to sadly pass away did so in a hospital setting; five of the deaths were in a residential/care facility and one death occurred in the community.

Eight of the 26 to sadly lose their lives were aged between 60 and 79 and 18 were aged 80 or older.

Fourteen of the deceased were male and 12 were female.

The DoH also reported and additional 1,052 new infections - an increase of 79 on Thursday’s statistics.

It takes the total number of infections detected in Northern Ireland since the beginning of the pandemic to 93,834.

On a positive note, the number of individuals to test positive in the last seven days is 7,590 but the corresponding figure for the last seven days on this day a week ago (Friday January 8, 2021) was 11,361.

Today’s DoH report also reveals an increase of five people being admitted to an intensivce care unit (ICU) in the last 24 hours.

There are currently 140 ICU beds in hospitals in Northern Ireland - 63 ICU beds are occupied by Covid-19 patients; 47 are occupied by patients with other conditions and 30 ICU beds are unoccupied.