Government pledges extra £50m to support Northern Ireland coronavirus fight

This takes the total funding the UK Government has made available to Stormont to almost £1.2 billion.

Secretary of State Brandon Lewis said: “From the outset of this coronavirus crisis, the UK Government has committed to doing whatever it takes to support the devolved administrations in their fight to defeat this virus.

“The additional £50 million for the Northern Ireland Executive announced today will help bolster vital public services as they respond to the challenges of coronavirus.

“Today’s funding, in addition to the support offered to people and businesses across Northern Ireland through UK-wide initiatives, reinforces our commitment to ensuring that everyone in Northern Ireland is able to access the resources and support they need at this incredibly challenging time.”

On Saturday, the Public Health Agency said that a further 17 people in Northern Ireland died in hospital settings with coronavirus in the past day.

It takes the total number of confirmed deaths in hospital settings in the region to 193.

Another 148 people were diagnosed with Covid-19 in Northern Ireland, the PHA added, taking the total to 2,486.