NI death toll rises

The number of people to die from Covid-19 in Northern Ireland has risen to 158 after eighteen more people who tested positive for the disease died. This is the highest rise in deaths in a 24-hour period since the outbreak began. Health Minister Robin Swann said it was a “distressing day” and urged the public to avoid becoming complacent in coming days and weeks.

On Friday morning, new data from the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency suggested that figure could be even higher – they indicate 157 deaths by April 10.

The increase comes as an MOT centre in Newtownards has been handed over to South Eastern Trust to be used as a testing location for health and social care workers. 

UK lockdown extended

A day after the Northern Ireland Executive announced a further three-week extension to lockdown restrictions, UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab announced that the UK national restrictions will continue for “at least” another three weeks. “We still don’t have the infection rate down as far as we need to,” he said. The UK recorded another 861 coronavirus deaths in hospital, taking the total to 13,729.

NI First Minister Arlene Foster said the measures were still ‘appropriate and proportionate’ in the province. Northern Ireland will review their restrictions again on May 9th. 

Other virus news items today, Friday 17 April

Healthcare jobs overtake IT amid downturn

Teachers to predict GCSE and A-Level grades

Visiting loved ones ‘too great a risk’ 

Ireland has mostly contained outbreak: health chief

Ireland quadruples WHO funding after US halts payments

Delay in tourism grants

Calls for hope & calls to action

Northern Slant will update this page to highlight some of the good news stories happening all around us, both here in Northern Ireland and further afield. We will also highlight how communities are responding to the crisis, sharing details of how you might be able to get involved yourself.

Calls for Hope

106-year-old woman beats Coronavirus

Mum meets baby son for first time after recovering

Corridor of Hope

In South Korea, Success Fighting The Virus Brings Success At The Ballot Box

Calls to Action

MLA returns to frontline to re-join fire service

Captain Tom Moore, 99, breaks £10m mark as donations flood in for NHS 

Crisis offers ‘opportunity to end rough sleeping for good’

Joy at Home

Finally…

Couple found a way to go “water-skiing” despite the lockdown 

Keep up with the latest updates from the Northern Ireland Department of Health here

And from Belfast City Council here

Last Week: Update April 6-10