NO deaths with COVID-19 reported in NI in last 24 hours - another 7 people test positive for coronavirus - find out how many have virus in your local area

The latest dashboard - which is valid to 10am today - confirms there are now 7 people fighting for their lives in Intensive Care Units in NI hospitals.

According to the latest dashboard another 7 people have tested positive for COVID-19.

The dashboard also reports that 4,848 people in NI have tested positive for the virus.

There are currently 40 people with coronavirus being treated in NI hospitals.

See the dashboard here

According to the statistics so far -

319 people died in hospital

186 died in residential/care homes

21 in the community

15 locations were not recorded.

And at present there are currently 55 confirmed Care Home outbreaks of COVID-19 - and 27 suspected cases.

This is how many people have tested positive in your local area -

BELFAST - 1,322

ARMAGH - 540

LISBURN AND CASTLEREAGH - 450

ANTRIM AND NEWTOWNABBEY - 410

ARDS AND NORTH DOWN - 388

NOT KNOWN - 347

MID AND EAST ANTRIM - 322

NEWRY, MOURNE AND DOWN - 291

MID ULSTER - 256

CAUSEWAY COAST AND GLENS - 249

DERRY CITY AND STRABANE - 177

FERMANAGH AND OMAGH - 86

ALSO READ - NI coronavirus death toll rises to 779 with NISRA reporting 19 new Covid-19 related deaths

Earlier, Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill said Executive announcements on Monday and Thursday on the easing of lockdown restrictions will be welcomed by the hospitality industry.

Ms O’Neill suggested that Monday and Thursday will be “significant days” in terms of announcements.

“We want to keep moving forward - we want to keep giving people that wee bit more to try to get back to some semblance of normality, so the hospitality sector is one, but there’s other sectors out there that are now asking for an indicative date and I think it’s important that we give them all indicative dates,” she told BBC Politics.

She said despite this, there is a need for caution and to “avoid a second wave if we can”.

“I want the hospitality to open up, but imagine if we were to open up now and have to shut everything down in four or six weeks?

“I’m working our way through our plan gradually and incrementally. We’re certainly in a good place, making positive steps forward, but we need to do it gradually.”

Since Saturday, people living alone have been able to reunite with their families after three months of coronavirus lockdown in Northern Ireland while the number who can meet outside while practising social distancing to limit the risk of transmission was increased from six to 10.

Ms O’Neill said she does not feel “any pressure whatsoever” to follow the Republic of Ireland and how it has eased its own lockdown measures.

Looking ahead, she said childcare and the reopening of schools will be the key issues.

“More people are returning to work but they need childcare - you can’t tell them to go back to work without saying what childcare will look like. We have asked the health and education ministers to bring forward the childcare recovery plan,” she said.

“For me, there is two key issues in the week ahead - what does school look like in September and what does childcare look like for our families?

“I have spent time last week speaking to many providers who are really unsure about what it is they need to open up. Parents have spoken to me about their worries regarding returning to work and childcare.”

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