| | Dear reader
Six more people with Covid-19 have died in Northern Ireland, bringing the total number of fatalities here recorded by the Department of Health up to 387. However, the number is expected to be significantly greater as the statistics don’t include those deaths in care homes and the community.
Of those deaths, 120, or 31 per cent, occurred in the Belfast City Council area.
Meanwhile, a Northern Ireland woman whose mother died from Covid-19 has asked for people to be “over-cautious” in terms of social distancing. Deborah Buchanan, from Newtownabbey, shared a sad image of her family gathered around her mother on her deathbed.
Her mum - Joan Wright who was 75-years-old and father Charlie Wright who is 80 - moved to Cumbria from Northern Ireland 15 years ago.
On a national front, Prime Minister Boris Johnson called on people to pull together amid an ongoing worldwide effort to develop a coronavirus vaccine. Researchers at Oxford University are among those working on a vaccine, with 601 people having taken part in the university’s vaccine trial.
Stay safe,
Alistair Bushe Editor Here are today’s headlines: - Six more COVID-19 deaths recorded in NI
The total number of deaths in Northern Ireland according to the Department of Health (DoH) now stands at 387.
Of those deaths,120 (31 per cent) occurred in the Belfast City Council area.
- Queen’s University Belfast has received funding to develop a rapid diagnostic test for Covid-19
Professor Cliff Taggart, lead researcher from the Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine at Queen’s University, said: “The local availability, speed and accuracy of the test will help inform public health preparedness and response in the ongoing pandemic.”
- Doctors in Northern Ireland are concerned about the impact of Covid-19 on care for other patients, a survey has found
The British Medical Association (BMA) said more than 60% of doctors believe the situation was “worsening” for non-coronavirus patients.
The members’ survey also found that 44% said their main concern at this time was the longer-term impact on patient clinical demand.
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