Coronavirus: Fresh lockdown restrictions introduced as positive cases continue to rise

THE first and deputy first ministers have announced a tightening of Covid-19 restrictions in Northern Ireland in their first joint Executive press conference in over two months.

Local restrictions are coming into force in the entire Belfast City Council area and the postcode areas of BT28 and BT29, and in the town of Ballymena and the postcode area of BT43.

In these areas there will be no mixing of different households in private dwelling, apart from exemptions (e.g. support bubbles, care and childcare arrangements, essential maintenance, etc).

No more than six people will be allowed to meet in private gardens from two households.

People in Belfast and Ballymena are also asked to limit unnecessary travel beyond these areas.

“The medical and scientific advice is that we will see the greatest benefit from focusing on limiting social interactions between households,” said First Minister Arlene Foster.

“That means in these areas only there will be no mixing of households in private dwellings, with exemptions for bubbling with one other household, caring responsibilities including childcare, essential maintenance, supported living arrangements, visits required for legal or medical purposes or marriage or civil partnerships where one partner is terminally ill.

“No more than 6 people are to be in a private garden from two households,” Ms Foster said.

The restrictions will come into force next week, but Ms Foster urged people to adhere to them immediately.

She added the restrictions will be reviewed in two weeks.

Arlene Foster and Michelle O’Neill ceased the regular joint briefings after the funeral of of veteran republican Bobby Storey in June.

Earlier, Ms O’Neill said she acknowledged that the NI Executive’s messaging around Covid-19 restrictions had been undermined by the controversy around Bobby Storey’s funeral.

It comes as the Department of Health announced a further death from Covid-19 over the past 24 hours and 78 new cases of the virus.

The death toll from coronavirus in Northern Ireland now stands at 568, with 8,035 people having tested positive. On Wednesday 8,543 tests were carried out on 5,492 people.

Over the past seven days 599 people have tested positive for Covid-19. In the last week 177 of those have tested positive for the virus in Belfast, with another 76 in Lisburn and Castlereagh.

There are currently 13 Covid-19 patients in hospitals here, with two in intensive care units (ICUs).

Hospital bed occupancy is at 88%, with 14 ICU beds remaining free.

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