Six men and two women die in hospital after testing positive for Covid-19

The eight additional deaths takes the Department of Health (DoH) death toll to 760.

The DoH also recorded an additional 595 new infections in the last 24 hours.

There has also been an increase in the number of intensive care unit beds - there are now 141 in Northern Ireland and 31 of them are current unoccupied.

There are currently 407 people with Covid-19 in hospitals all over Northern Ireland.

Meanwhile, the Northern Ireland Executive will meet over the weekend to discuss what steps to take next when the ‘circuit-breakier’ lockdown is due to end on Friday November 13.

It has been widely reported that one such measure that will be considered is the recommendation from health chiefs to extend the ‘circuit-breaker’ lockdown for another two weeks - this would take it up to the end of November.

First Minister Arlene Foster and deputy First Minister, Michelle O’Neill told the media on Thursday evening that it was their intention to make an announcement about restrictions at the beginning of next week.