There were 16 further Covid-related deaths reported by the Department of Health today (Monday).
Today’s stats – according to the official dashboard – take in the last 24 hours with 15 of the 16 passing away inside that period.
The overall total number of deaths recorded by the Department now stands at 1,476.
There were a further 759 positive cases reported in the last 24 hours, with 100 in Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon and a further 99 in Newry, Mourne and Down. There were 89 cases in Mid Ulster.
A total of 2,705 individuals were tested.
The BT35 postcode – south Armagh – is now the worst affected area with a rate of 1349 cases per 100,ooo of population. BT60 is second; BT61 is fourth.
There are 736 – up 33 – people now in hospital as a result of the virus, 52 – down one – of whom are in intensive care units.
There are currently 18 ICU beds available in Northern Ireland.
A total of 137 – up three– patients are in Craigavon.
There are 43 – five more – Covid patients in Daisy Hill, with 13 – no change – in Lurgan Hospital.
Speaking to the BBC, Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill said Northern Ireland was experiencing the “worst case scenario” predicted at the start of the pandemic.
“We are at the extreme of the pandemic right now, this is the worst situation that we have been in from the very onset.”
She added that while the peak for Covid-19 cases had “probably been reached”, the peak pressure on the health service was yet to come.
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