10 new COVID-19 cases in NI and no new deaths for 23rd day running

By Peter Moor

10 new cases of the Coronavirus have been diagnosed since yesterday in Northern Ireland.

It brings the total number of cases of the virus in the region to over 6,000, with 6,006 cases.

For the 23rd day running, no new COVID-19 deaths were announced by the Department of Health here.

The department's death toll therefore remains at 556.

This figure is lower than figures released today by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA)

They reported 854 COVID-19 related deaths here up to 24th July.

NISRA figures relate to information entered on death certificates, completed by medical professionals.

They may or may not have previously tested positive for the virus.

Whereas. Department of Health figures are based on mainly hospital patients having previously tested positive for the virus.

There are also 3 care homes currently with confirmed outbreaks of COVID-19.

7 care homes have suspected outbreaks and 173 have closed outbreaks of the virus.

The figures also provide detail of capacity in Northern Ireland's hospitals.

It revealed that out of Northern Ireland's 95 intensive care unit beds, 2 are occupied by patients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19.

One of these patients remains on a ventilator.

Another 68 of the beds are taken up by non COVID-19 related patients, providing 25 spare ICU beds.