One more Covid19 related death confirmed and over 160 news cases

By PA

One more person who previously tested positive for Covid-19 has died in Northern Ireland, according to the Department of Health. 

Another 164 confirmed cases of the virus were also recorded in the last 24-hour reporting period.

The department’s confirmed coronavirus hospital inpatient number stood at 176 on Tuesday morning, 18 of whom were in intensive care.

It comes after Stormont ministers agreed a timetable for all schoolchildren to return to classes in Northern Ireland.

Primary pupils in years P1 to P3 are already back in classes and secondary school children in year groups 12 to 14 are due back on Monday March 22.

It's understood that ministers have now agreed that remaining primary pupils in P4 to P7 will also return on March 22.

The final cohort, secondary pupils in years 8 to 11, will go back to classes on April 12 after the Easter holidays.

The proposals from Education Minister Peter Weir were agreed by Executive colleagues at a meeting on Tuesday morning.

A range of lockdown easement proposals outlined in a paper tabled by the heallth minister is also being considered.

They include:

– Golf courses to reopen from April 1 (clubhouses to remain closed).
– Ten people, from no more than two households, able to participate in outdoor sporting activities from April 1.
– Click and collect purchases allowed from garden centres and plant nurseries from April 1.
– Click and collect at all non-essential retail outlets from April 12.
– “Stay at home” rule lifts on April 12.
– Outdoor sports training to resume from April 12 with no more than 15 participants in one group.

If the Executive endorses these proposals, ministers will review the health data on Thursday April 8 ahead of giving the final go-ahead for the measures due to come into force on April 12.