The Derry/Strabane seven day COVID-19 rate has fallen below 1,000 cases per 100,000 for the first time this year and remains the lowest in the north, according to the latest data from the Department of Health.

Between January 20 and January 26, there were 1,485 cases giving a seven day rate of 982.7 per 100,000, down from 1,011.9 on Wednesday.

All the other council areas now have higher rates than Derry/ Strabane.

The rates are as follows: Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon (2,168.2), Lisburn & Castlereagh (2,021.8), Newry, Mourne & Down (2,020.7), Antrim & Newtownabbey (1,910.2), Ards & North Down (1,856.8), Mid & East Antrim (1,769.9), Mid Ulster (1,658.2), Belfast (1,603.2), Fermanagh and Omagh (1,038) and Causeway Coast and Glens (996.3).

placeholder image — Latest daily COVID-19 data released.

Two COVID-19 admissions at Altnagelvin; hospital 3.63% over capacity

The average rate for the north is 1,682.7.

The daily change in the cumulative number of patients with a positive test in Derry and Strabane between January 25 and January 26 was 173.

In total 48,842 people have now tested positive for the illness in Derry and Strabane.

A breakdown of the number of vaccinations by postcode shows that 117,201 have been administered in BT48 and 121,571 have been administered in BT47 - 238,772 in total in Derry