Summary

  • No further coronavirus-related deaths were recorded by the Department of Health in NI on Thursday. The total remains at 556

  • The total number of confirmed positive cases of the virus in Northern Ireland rose by 16 on Thursday, now standing at 5,815

  • One further Covid-19-linked death was reported on Thursday in the Republic of Ireland. Death toll there stands at 1,749. There were 21 new cases

  • The Public Health Agency has identified a cluster of Covid-19 cases in the Limavady area.

  1. Goodbyepublished at 15:55 British Summer Time 17 July 2020

    We're going to end our live page coverage for the day.

    Stay with the BBC News website, external, and our live page will be back on Monday.

    Thank you for your company on this rather wet and windy Friday.

    We will leave you with this "wee Ballycastle sunset to remind us of brighter days" from our reader Joe Brogan.

    Goodbye and have a lovely weekend.

    beachImage source, Joe Brogan
  2. What has happened todaypublished at 15:41 British Summer Time 17 July 2020

    couple with masks walkImage source, PA Media

    As we come to the end of our coronavirus coverage for Friday let's recap the main developments of the day in NI.

    • No Covid-19 related deaths have been recorded by NI’s Department of Health and there have been 19 new cases of coronavirus, with eight of those in the Derry and Strabane area.
    • One patient with Covid-19 is currently being treated in intensive care in a Northern Ireland hospital.
  3. Easy Jet to resume more flights from Belfast International Airportpublished at 15:31 British Summer Time 17 July 2020

    EasyJet has announced it will be resuming more flights from Belfast International Airport this summer and has put all flights on sale for Summer 2021.

    In a statement, EasyJet’s UK country manager, Ali Gayward, said: “We are really pleased to be able to be resuming flights from Belfast to more destinations throughout August to get customers away on their much-needed summer holiday this year".

    The airline has introduced a number of safety measures, including the wearing of face coverings on flights, routine cleaning of aircraft and ground crew and cabin crew will no longer handle any customer documents during boarding.

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  4. PM sets out plan for 'significant normality' in England by Christmaspublished at 15:09 British Summer Time 17 July 2020

    Boris JohnsonImage source, PA media

    Coronavirus restrictions will ease further in England under plans for a "significant return to normality" by Christmas, Boris Johnson has announced.

    Under the new guidelines, people may use public transport for journeys immediately, while advice for employers will change from 1 August.

    Companies will have more discretion to bring staff back to workplaces if it is safe to do so, the PM explained.

    Mr Johnson added he was "hoping for the best and planning for the worst".

    Read more here

  5. British Airways retires entire 747 fleet after travel downturnpublished at 14:49 British Summer Time 17 July 2020

    British Airways has said it will retire all of its Boeing 747s as it suffers from the sharp travel downturn.

    The UK airline is the world's largest operator of the jumbo jets, with 31 in the fleet.

    "It is with great sadness that we can confirm we are proposing to retire our entire 747fleet with immediate effect," a BA spokesman told the BBC.

    A BA 747Image source, Reuters

    Airlines across the world have been hit hard by coronavirus-related travel restrictions.

    "It is unlikely our magnificent 'queen of the skies' will ever operate commercial services for British Airways again due to the downturn in travel caused by the Covid-19 global pandemic," the spokesman added.

    Read more here

  6. Where are the new cases?published at 14:30 British Summer Time 17 July 2020

    As we have just reported, there have been 19 new cases of coronavirus in Northern Ireland.

    These were recorded in the following council areas:

    • Antrim and Newtownabbey (1)
    • Belfast (4)
    • Causeway Coast and Glens (5)
    • Derry and Strabane (8)
    • Mid and East Antrim (1)
    DoH council area break down
  7. No new coronavirus-related deaths recorded in NIpublished at 14:04 British Summer Time 17 July 2020
    Breaking

    No Covid-19 related deaths have been recorded by Northern Ireland’s Department of Health in the past 24 hours, which means the number of deaths from the virus remains at 556.

    The department’s daily figures are mostly comprised of hospital deaths, where a patient had previously tested positive for the virus.

    The latest figures on the department’s dashboard show the total number of confirmed positive cases of the virus now stands at 5,834, an increase of 19 from yesterday.

    One patient with Covid-19 is currently being treated in intensive care in a Northern Ireland hospital.

    DoH stats
  8. 10 things you CAN do this summerpublished at 13:56 British Summer Time 17 July 2020

    Ice cream

    With lockdown easing, many of us are planning to make the most of summer. But what exactly are we allowed to do over the holiday season? More than you might think. Here's a quick guide to some socially-distanced summer experiences in the UK. Just don't forget your mac and wellies.

    1. Take a break in a remote cabin

    Cabin

    While many European destinations have declared themselves open to people from the UK, plenty are opting for a "staycation" this summer. The PM has himself urged people to holiday at home, saying the UK had "peerless, wonderful, superlative places" to visit.

    And with social distancing at the forefront of people's minds, rural retreats appear to be one of the options of choice.

    2. See a film at an open-air cinema

    Open air cinema

    The drive-in is no longer the sole preserve of frisky American teens. A host of new drive-in and open-air cinemas have been announced in recent weeks, with promoters converting under-utilised spaces into massive venues to entice nervous cinema-goers back to the big screen.

    3. Go to a drive-in rave, gig or performance

    Drive in concert

    But the drive-in opportunities don't stop there. A number of car-park raves, as well as live music and comedy gigs, are also being planned across the summer.

    Click here to read more about what you can get up to this summer while abiding by social distancing restrictions.

  9. English fans could be back in stadiums 'by October'published at 13:26 British Summer Time 17 July 2020

    St James' ParkImage source, BBC Sport

    Fans could be able to return to stadiums in England from October, says Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

    Pilots will take place from 1 August, but any stadium reopenings would be subject to coronavirus guidelines.

    "We will pilot larger gatherings in venues like sports stadiums with a view to a wider reopening in the autumn," Johnson says.

    "From October, we intend to bring back audiences in stadiums," he added.

    Some sports, including football and cricket, have resumed behind closed doors after the Covid-19 lockdown.

    Media caption,

    Fans give verdict on new way of watching football

    Premier League football recommenced behind closed doors and many season-ticket holders had to make due with watching from home.

    You can read more on this story here

  10. Urgent care centres to stay open as dentists deal with PPE shortagepublished at 13:08 British Summer Time 17 July 2020

    Louise Cullen
    BBC News NI

    The Department of Health says Urgent Dental Care centres will open as normal on Monday.

    They were set to close, except for some out-of-hours cover, from 20 July – on that day dentists are allowed to carry out Aerosol Generating Procedures (such as fillings and other common treatments) that pose a higher risk for spreading the virus.

    But dentists say they haven’t got adequate supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE) to allow all 370 practices in Northern Ireland to fully reopen.

    One professional body has warned as many as 90% may not be able to provide AGPs from next Monday, until at least level two PPE has been secured.

    Dental staffImage source, PA Media

    On Wednesday, BBC News NI revealed that a large consignment of level one PPE, scheduled to be delivered to dental practices by now, has been delayed untilnext week.

    Dentists usually source their own PPE, but the Business Services Organisation, which looks after provision for the health trusts, is providing level one PPE due to the circumstances.

    But it’s understood it cannot provide level two PPE without jeopardising supply for the trusts.

    The department says the Urgent Dental Care (UDC) centres will have staff rostered until the end of August while the phased implementation to rebuild general dental services continues.

    The five UDCs, across each of the five trust areas, provided most emergency care for dental patients throughout the pandemic.

  11. Safety issue over Randox Covid test kitspublished at 12:46 British Summer Time 17 July 2020

    The swabs in some batches of one brand of coronavirus home-test kits are "not up to standard", Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said.

    As a precaution, the government says the kits made by Randox should not be used until further notice.

    There is no evidence of harm being done and no impact on access to testing, Mr Hancock said.

    Covid testImage source, Getty Images

    Randox claims to be responsible for up to 17% of the total tests carried out in the UK.

    The company is a healthcare diagnostics group based out of County Antrim in Northern Ireland.

    Read more here., external

  12. GB 'unlikely' to make RoI travel green list - Coveneypublished at 12:25 British Summer Time 17 July 2020

    Jayne McCormack
    BBC News NI political reporter

    PlanesImage source, Reuters

    Great Britain is "unlikely" to make the Republic of Ireland's list of countries exempt from quarantine rules, Simon Coveney has said.

    The Irish government is set to publish a "green list" of countries on Monday.

    Irish authorities currently require anyone coming into the Republic of Ireland, apart from those from Northern Ireland, to self-isolate for 14 days.

    The foreign affairs minister also said there was "no question" that the United States would not make the list.

    Read more here

  13. Six Derry GAA clubs suspend activity in 'precautionary measure'published at 12:04 British Summer Time 17 July 2020

    GAAImage source, INPHO

    Six Derry GAA clubs have suspended activity "as a precautionary measure" because of reported Covid-19 cases in the local community.

    Banagher and Craigbane made similar announcements of the suspensions on social media on Thursday evening.

    On Friday neighbouring clubs Drumsurn, St Colm's Drum, Glack and Limavady said they too had temporarily halted all activity.

    None of the clubs have reported any positive Covid-19 cases.

    The decision to take the precautionary action comes following a rise of cases within the local community.

    Read more on this story here

  14. Boris Johnson: NI will receive 'extra funding'published at 11:37 British Summer Time 17 July 2020

    Jayne McCormack
    BBC News NI political reporter

    Boris Johnson

    Prime Minister Boris Johnson has confirmed that Northern Ireland will receive extra funding as a result of £3bn announced to help the NHS in England.

    Speaking at a press conference, Mr Johnson said it would ensure the UK was able to be ready for winter and “plan for the worst”.

    Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales will receive extra funding as a result of the rise in spending in England – through what’s known as the Barnett formula.

    It is not clear yet how much NI will receive, and it will be up to the executive to decide where the cash is spent.

  15. Counselling sessions for children increase in lockdown, charity sayspublished at 11:17 British Summer Time 17 July 2020

    ChildImage source, NSPCA/PA

    A children's welfare charity has said the number of children and young people needing counselling about mental health in Northern Ireland has increased since lockdown started.

    Childline has said it has conducted almost 400 counselling sessions since NI went into lockdown.

    That's a 25% increase compared to this time last year, the charity said.

    The NSPCC run service says it's getting concerned that children are going to be the hidden victims of the coronavirus crisis.

    Georgina McGlinchey, who is head of NSPCC NI in Foyle, told BBC Radio Foyle "low mood and unhappiness" were key factors in people contacting them.

  16. If you get a call from this number, it's important...published at 10:58 British Summer Time 17 July 2020

    Phone number

    The Public Health Agency (PHA) is continuing to trace people who may have been exposed to the coronavirus after it identified a cluster of cases in Limavady.

    However, not everyone will answer a telephone call from an unknown number, the PHA's Head of Health Protection Dr Gerry Waldron told the BBC's Nolan Show.

    "People in the Limavady area may be getting a call from the contact tracing service and there's been some concern about people getting calls from numbers they don't recognise," he said.

    Dr Waldron said the number the contact tracing service will call from is 028 95 368888.

    "Now I have to stress, that isn't a number you can call the contact service on, it's an outgoing number only," he added.

    "But if people see that number on their mobile phone, either in the Limavady area or in any other part of Northern Ireland, please answer it because we will have some very important information to give to you about your connection with a possible case of Covid-19."

  17. A lot of people now have savings - but will they spend them?published at 10:36 British Summer Time 17 July 2020

    John Campbell
    BBC News NI Economics and Business Editor

    Earlier on the livepage we brought you a story by our Business Editor John Campbell on a fall in Danske Banks pre-tax profits. Here he breaks down what it could mean for the future of the economy.

    Danske Bank has seen a surge in deposits from customers in the first half of this year, increasing by more than £1bn from £7.2bn last year to £8.6bn this year, most of that coming in the past three months.

    This is something that we’re seeing right across the banking sector.

    We can look at Bank of England data, and it shows that deposits into accounts by households across the UK increased by more than £25bn in May following other strong increases in March and April.

    A woman out shopping on the high street with a face mask onImage source, PA Media

    What happens to that increased savings is going to be key to any sort of recovery. Are people going to run down their savings again and basically go out and start spending? Are businesses going to invest? Or are people just going to sit on that money?

    It is clear at the moment that for some people, better off households, they do have money to spend. It is just a case of whether they will choose to do so.

    Will they have the confidence to go out and spend across those discretionary parts of our economy - in particular in retail and hospitality.

    That is going to be a vital story over the next six months or so.

  18. Limavady cluster a 'wake-up call', says PHA headpublished at 10:09 British Summer Time 17 July 2020

    A cluster of Covid-19 cases identified in Limavady is a "wake-up call", says the Public Health Agency (PHA) head of health protection.

    The cluster was identified by the PHA on Thursday.

    Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster's Good Morning Ulster programme, Dr Gerry Waldron said the PHA was still investigating the situation and "trying to get in touch with everyone connected".

    "This was a social gathering at a private premises, we have identified a number of positive cases amongst the people who attended the gathering but also more significantly, a number of positive cases amongst the contacts of people who attended that gathering," he said.

    Dr Waldron said the identifying of the cluster highlights the importance of people keeping to advice on social distancing.

    Coronavirus swabImage source, Getty Images

    "I think with all the easing of restrictions we've probably come to think, some of us, that life can go back to normal, this is a wake-up call that it can't, we really, really need to be vigilant," he added.

    The PHA head said we were "very, very fortunate" the contact tracing service identified the incident and took action quickly.

    "We're taking immediate action which also includes ramping up the testing in the Limavady area.

    "We'll be putting in a mobile testing unit there to take care of any additional symptomatic people there that will need to be tested."

    Dr Waldron said the PHA's current assessment of the situation was that a local lockdown in the area was not necessary saying "we are not at that stage yet".

  19. NI's Covid-linked deaths fall for 10th weekpublished at 09:51 British Summer Time 17 July 2020

    Jayne McCormack
    BBC News NI political reporter

    The number of coronavirus-linked deaths in Northern Ireland has fallen for the 10th week.

    In the week up to 10 July, government statistics agency Nisra said the virus was mentioned on the death certificates of nine people.

    That is two fewer than the previous week.

    Up to last Friday, that means there has been a total of 844 Covid-19 related deaths.

    By the same date the Department of Health's daily figure, based on positive test results, was 555 - almost 300 fewer.

    There have been 440 deaths in hospital (52.1%), which includes the deaths of 79 people normally resident in care homes.

    Coronavirus swabsImage source, Getty Images

    Taking into account that number, and the 347 who died in care homes, it means the deaths of people normally resident in care homes accounts for half (50.5%) of all Covid-19 related deaths.

    Eight people (1.0%) have died in hospices and 49 people (5.8%) have died at residential addresses or other locations.

    People aged 75 and over account for 80% of all Covid-19 related deaths.

    People with addresses in the Belfast council area account for 242 or 29% of all Covid-related deaths.

    Fermanagh and Omagh has recorded the fewest number of deaths, with 17 fatalities in the area linked to the virus.

    Read more about the latest Nisra statistics here.

  20. Day care centres reopening at 10% capacitypublished at 09:28 British Summer Time 17 July 2020

    Many day care centres for people with learning disabilities are initially reopening at 10% capacity, it has emerged.

    They closed in March as the health service planned to deal with Covid-19.

    Trusts are now putting plans in place for a phased return of services but it is unlikely they will return to pre-pandemic levels before the autumn.

    Some families, carers and support organisations are worried there will not be enough places.

    Day care centres reopening at 10% capacity

    Paula Jordan, from the Special School Principals Strategic Leadership Group, said there was a lack of certainty for young people transitioning out of special education into adult services.

    "There are so many young people out there who have no idea where they are going to in September," she said.

    "For the parents as well that's such huge uncertainty. For our young people who have always had a routine of five days a week, that's going to be a huge change."

    You can read more about the phased return of day centres here.