1,031 new cases of Covid-19 confirmed in Northern Ireland 

There were two new deaths confirmed in Northern Ireland today. File picture. 

1,031 new cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Northern Ireland.

While officials there have also reported two more deaths.

This brings the total number of cases confirmed in Northern Ireland since the outbreak began to 26,208 and the death toll has now reached 610.

There are 231 patients with Covid-19 being treated in hospital, with 27 in intensive care.

Speaking earlier this week, the Health Minister for Northern Ireland, Robin Swann warned the number of patients being treated in hospital for Covid-19 is set to exceed those seen in the first wave of the pandemic within one to two weeks if current trends continue. 

“If current trends remain unabated, hospital inpatients will exceed those of wave one in one-two weeks and ICU inpatients will exceed wave one shortly afterwards,” Mr Swann told the Stormont Assembly.

It comes as a so-called 'circuit breaker' lockdown came into force there yesterday.

Schools are closed for at least two weeks, but pubs restaurants and beauty salons are all shut for a month.

Additional reporting from Press Association