Michael Cousins Acting Managing Editor

Good afternoon from the team at the News Letter

In Coronavirus news:

The Department of Health Covid-19 dashboard has today reported that Northern Ireland hospitals have now exceeded capacity. The dashboard states that hospital are running at 102% with 431 beds occupied by Covid-19 patients. In ICU 91% of beds are in use caring for 46 Covid patients. 

New research from the University of Oxford found that vaccinated people can still pass on Delta variant - but protection remains high.  Importantly, the report states "The vaccines are better at preventing severe disease. The fact that you see more viral load (with the Delta variant) hints towards herd immunity being more challenging."

In other news: 

A Sinn Fein councillor has reportedly denied claims that the party snubbed a memorial service for two Irish policemen killed eight decades ago. Dublin City Council this week unveiled a plaque to the pair of officers, who were shot dead by two republicans in Rathgar Road, in south-east Dublin, on August 16, 1940.

Cruise passengers baffled at being ‘held captive’ in Belfast. A female passenger spoke out on the Nolan Show, saying over 600 people had been allowed to disembark for pre-arranged tours, but a similar number were not allowed to leave the ship to roam freely around the city. “We feel as if we’re being held captive here, people have planned to meet family and friends they haven’t seen for 18 months,” she said.

Have a good evening

Michael Cousins

Acting Managing Editor

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