Coronavirus: North's death toll up to 338 as Health Minister confirms lockdown rules don't apply to children living between parents

The latest number of deaths comes only a few hours after Health Minister, Robin Swann, confirmed the lockdown rules currently in place throughout Northern Ireland do not apply to children living between parents.

"The emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic has created an environment unfamiliar to us all.

"I understand this health emergency will be causing great concern for parents, particularly where their children would normally move between households or where contact is supported by social workers or contact centres.

“The key consideration at this difficult time must of course be the health and well-being of children and it is important that they continue to spend time with both parents in line with contact orders, unless doing so would put the child or others at risk.”

Minister Swann added: "The mandatory stay at home direction does not apply to children moving between households.

"Parents can continue to share care of their children but every family is different and I would encourage parents to work together to assess their particular circumstances.

"Parents should consider the child’s health, the risk of infection and the presence of any vulnerable individuals in homes children may be visiting.”

Also to happen in the last 24 hours were 1,447 tests of which 55 returned a positive COVID-19 result.

A total of 24,359 tests have been carried out in Northern Ireland since the beginning of the crisis with 3,463 returning a positive result.

The latest set of figures released by the DoH do not include all COVID-19 related deaths in care homes.

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