Covid-19: 14 deaths and 351 confirmed cases in Northern Ireland

55,795 cases have been confirmed in Northern Ireland since the outbreak began. File picture. 

A further 14 people have died with Covid-19 in Northern Ireland, the Department of Health said.

351 further people have tested positive for the virus bringing the total number of cases to 55,795 since the outbreak began.

The 14 fatalities from the virus bring the total number of deaths to 1,073. 

Northern Ireland's latest case data comes as a vaccine for the virus is administrated by the National Health Service (NHS). 

The first person to receive the vaccine in Northern Ireland was a 28-year-old nurse from Dundrum in Co Down.

Joanna Sloan is a sister in charge of Covid vaccination for the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, Northern Ireland’s largest.

She is a former emergency department nurse and has been in her occupation for six years.

She is engaged but her wedding was postponed due to the pandemic. She has a daughter aged five.

Ms Sloan is one of an 800-plus team of vaccinators that will be involved in the subsequent rollout programme.

Stormont Health Minister Robin Swann said: “Let us not underestimate the importance of today and what we are seeing with the start of our vaccination programme.” He told the BBC’s Good Morning Ulster programme: “It is a game-changer, it is a big day.

“It is the day we have long been waiting for.” He said it should be greeted with optimism but tempered with caution. “This is the start of a long road to recovery but we are on the first step.”