Covid-19: 20 deaths and 998 cases in Northern Ireland

Stormont’s chief scientific adviser has said Northern Ireland would have witnessed thousands of Covid-19 deaths if no action had been taken to suppress the coronavirus. File picture

There have been 20 deaths related to Covid-19 over the past two days, according to the Department of Health.

There were an additional 998 positive cases in the same period.

It comes as non-essential shops, pubs and restaurants in Northern Ireland are shutting for six weeks, from today.

The first week of the measures are the toughest yet, with a form of curfew in operation from 8pm, shops closed from that time and all indoor and outdoor gatherings prohibited until 6am.

Non-essential retail will close throughout the next six weeks, as will close contact services.

Hospitality outlets will be limited to takeaway services.

Organised sport will be banned, with elite athletes included in the prohibition for the first week.

Covid infection rates remain high, with a virulent strain first discovered in southern England and London recently detected in Northern Ireland.

Stormont’s chief scientific adviser has said Northern Ireland would have witnessed thousands of Covid-19 deaths if no action had been taken to suppress the coronavirus.

Professor Ian Young has said the already over-capacity health service would have been completely swamped in January.

He warned the number of Covid-19 inpatients would have soared to between 3,000 and 4,000 by the end of the month if no action had been taken.