Covid-19: Three deaths in NI and 4,701 new cases

BBC News NI outlines the latest data on coronavirus and Covid-19 vaccinations across Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Three more Covid-19-related deaths have been reported in Northern Ireland on Thursday.

Deaths are measured by recording those who died within 28 days of receiving a positive result in a test for coronavirus.

The total number of deaths linked to Covid-19 in Northern Ireland since the start of the pandemic is 2,979.

Another 4,701 new cases of coronavirus were reported in Northern Ireland on Thursday.

The data includes cases confirmed from samples taken in previous days, not necessarily just in the latest 24-hour reporting period.

On Wednesday, the Department of Health reported there had been 22,972 positive cases reflecting the period between midnight on 23 December and midnight on 28 December.

The previous report issued on Friday was for an additional 3,286 cases.

That figure had been the highest number of daily cases reported in Northern Ireland since the start of the pandemic.

As of Thursday, the number of positive cases confirmed in the past seven days was 31,643.

On Thursday, there were 303 patients with Covid-19 in hospitals in Northern Ireland, up from 277 on Wednesday.

There are 32 patients with Covid-19 in hospital intensive care units, down three compared to Wednesday.

Last updated 30 December at 14:15 GMT

Source: Department of Health Northern Ireland

Vaccines

A total of 3,504,889 vaccines for Covid-19 had been administered in Northern Ireland as of Thursday.

Of that total, 1,398,342 were first doses, 1,295,873 were second doses and the remaining were third doses.

791,558 booster vaccines have been delivered.

Last updated 30 December at 14:15 GMT

Source: Department of Health Northern Ireland

Twenty-two further deaths linked to Covid-19 were reported in the Republic of Ireland on Wednesday.

That brought the country's total number of deaths related to the virus to 5,912 since the start of the pandemic.

This figure, which is subject to revision, is updated weekly and includes "probable and possible" Covid-19-linked deaths.

Another 20,554 cases of coronavirus were reported in the Republic of Ireland on Thursday, compared to 16,428 on Wednesday.

On Thursday, there were 619 patients with Covid-19 in hospitals in the Republic of Ireland, up from 568 on Wednesday.

Of those patients, 88 were being treated in intensive care units, a decrease of five.

Last updated 30 December at 19:00 local time

Source: Department of Health Ireland

Vaccines

A total of 7,486,979 vaccines for Covid-19 (excluding boosters) had been administered in the Republic of Ireland as of Wednesday.

A total of 3,653,525 people have had their first dose and 3,596,552 have had their second dose, while 236,902 single-dose vaccines have been administered.

A total of 2,078,523 booster jabs had been administered as of Wednesday.

Last updated 30 December at 19:00 local time

Source: Department of Health Ireland