Coronavirus Northern Ireland: 17 deaths and 422 new cases as military medics due on hospital wards this week

Northern Ireland's Department of Health has reported another 17 deaths and 422 new cases of coronavirus.

Latest figures show 12 deaths occurred in the 24 hours up to 10am on Monday, while another five happened previously.

The death toll has risen to 1,747.

In terms of testing, 4,921 have contracted the virus in the past seven days, that is down from 6,633 the previous week.

In total over 750,000 people have been tested and 100,741 found positive.

Hospital occupancy is at 91%. There are 828 people in hospital with Covid and 74 are in intensive care.

There are 135 care homes dealing with an outbreak.

Meanwhile, military medical personnel will be on hospital wards across Northern Ireland by the end of the week to help the heath service in the fight against Covid-19.

The request by Health Minister Robin Swann for military assistance was accepted the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to help ease pressure at a number of hospitals here.

The Military Aid to the Civil Authorities (MACA) agreement will see over 100 medical technicians provide nursing support to a number of local trusts during the current stage of the Covid 19 pandemic - this MACA support is also being provided in other UK regions.

The BBC reports that the medics, who are of paramedic grade in the RAF, Army and Navy, will take up nursing assistant roles.

Elsewhere, those shielding in Northern Ireland - now classed as clinically extremely vulnerable- are to be invited for a vaccine.

It comes after health trusts scaled back vaccinations after demand from staff dropped.

And the PSNI has revealed another 455 coronavirus sanctions have been issued in the past week.

Belfast Telegraph