COVID-19 update - R number in NI now stands between 0.7-0.9

By PA reporter

Stormont First Minister Arlene Foster said the reproductive rate of the virus has declined to 0.7-0.9 in Northern Ireland.

She added: “We have been able to break the pathways of transmission.”

More than 102,000 people have been vaccinated.

Three quarters of care homes have had second doses.

Location of passengers who arrive from the Irish Republic is to be raised with the Taoiseach, Mrs Foster added.

Arlene Foster said the number of hospital admissions was due to peak later this week or early next week.

Intensive care unit admissions will continue rising for another week or so.

The DUP leader added: “We are all now partners in protecting people and preventing a greater loss of life.

“I find it unbelievable that people are still holding house parties when the rest of us are fighting hard to give the rest of us a chance to live.”

First Minister Arlene Foster confirms passengers arriving in NI from outside the U.K. and RoI will soon have to produce a negative COVID19 test before departure

She reveals R rate now 0.7-0.9 and says location of passengers who arrive into Republic to be raised with Taoiseach pic.twitter.com/GMaAiN86Kd

— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) January 14, 2021

Stormont ministers want to discuss travel locator forms with the Irish Government and improve sharing of information.

Arlene Foster said quite a large number may have entered Northern Ireland via the Republic over Christmas.

“That does not equip us to deal with the isolation issue,” the First Minister said.

Mrs Foster said sharing information left everyone in a better place to deal with emerging issues such as virus mutations, pointing to one detected recently in Brazil. “We need to be ready to deal with all of these issues,” she added.

Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill said: “It has to happen as a matter of urgency and I regret that it has not happened before now.”

Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill says a ‘two island’ approach is needed on travel after FM expressed frustration with data sharing from the Republic.

On hospitals she says everyone has a part to play in lifting pressure off NHS to ensure cancer patients access surgery pic.twitter.com/GmmguSeKxe

— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) January 14, 2021

The pre-departure test discussed by Stormont ministers will need to be taken within 72 hours.

PSNI Chief Constable Simon Byrne also said penalty notices were being issued daily to those who “blatantly” wanted to ignore the coronavirus regulations.

PSNI Chief Constable Simon Byrne insists “we are doing our bit” to enforce COVID19 regulations and says officers have been conducting checkpoints in bid limit the spread of the infection pic.twitter.com/9rPYjaEZf1

— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) January 14, 2021