Covid-19: 6,444 cases, no deaths

By Q Radio News

Another 6,444 new cases of Covid-19 but no further deaths have been reported  in the past 24 hours.

There are 402 Covid-positive patients in hospital, 31 of whom are in intensive care.

All but five of those people are being ventilated.

Eight hospitals are operating over capacity and 279 people are awaiting admission.

There are Covid outbreaks in 190 care homes across Northern Ireland.

The death toll since the pandemic began remains at 3,002.

The age group with the highest percentage of people testing positive is 25-29 (13%).

Derry City and Strabane council area continues to have the highest infection rate (3,834.5) while the Northern Ireland average is (2,520.1).

Ards and North Down has the lowest rate (1801.2).

The Stormont health committee was yesterday told the daily figure of new cases is no longer a reliable indicator of progression of the pandemic as Northern Ireland has reached testing capacity.

Chief Scientific Adviser Professor Ian Young said modelling had suggested there could be 25,000 cases a day at the peak of the Omicron surge.

However, PCR testing capacity cannot match that level.

Professor Young said Britain and the Republic are in the same situation.

A lateral flow test for Covid-19