A further 12 people have died from Covid-19 in the past 24 hours

Tuesday, 24 August 2021 14:29

There have been 12 further deaths in the past 24 hours

By Q Radio News

A further 12 people have died in Northern Ireland in the space of the last 24 hours, according to the latest figures released by the Department of Health.

There have also been a further 1,648 positive cases recorded in the same period.

Breaking: There have been 12 further deaths from Covid-19 in Northern Ireland in the past 24 hours. There have also been 1,648 positive cases recorded here in the same period., according to the latest figures from the Department of Health. pic.twitter.com/d8yCgE1pdE
— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) August 24, 2021

The data released today brings the total number of positive cases to 190,237 since the start of the pandemic.

There are currently 373 Covid-confirmed patients in hospital and 41 in intensive care, according to the figures.

2,417,807 vaccines have now been administered in total.

These statistics come as Northern Ireland continues to have the highest infection rates in the UK - at 630 cases per 100,000 people.

The push remains on to vaccinate as many people as possible against Covid-19.

Following the closure of the mass vaccination centre at the SSE Arena in Belfast, an outside facility has been set up in the arena car park and mobile units are being utilised across the region.

So far, 2,417,807 vaccines have been administered.

However Northern Ireland has the lowest vaccination rates in the UK.

Chief scientific adviser Professor Ian Young said he believes Northern Ireland is now very close to the peak of this latest wave, and he expects a slightly decline in the coming weeks.

However he said pressures on hospitals following the latest surge of cases is not likely to peak until early September.

He added in an interview with the BBC that “every effort” is being made to address the lower vaccination rates in Northern Ireland through taking mobile vaccination units which are more difficult to reach and allowing walk-in vaccination at all vaccine centres.