Derry COVID-19 positivity significantly higher than average at 7.7% while 191 deaths have occurred since pandemic began

The Public Health Agency's latest weekly epidemiological bulletin for the week March 15-21 show Derry Strabane had the highest SARS-CoV-2 positivity over the seven days.

Dr. Michael McBride says officials working to manage Derry COVID-19 rate increase with short-term trajectory uncertain

"The case rates increased in Ards and North Down, Derry and Strabane and Newry, Mourne and Down in week 11 compared to week 10. All other areas saw a decrease compared to the previous week. Mid Ulster had the highest rate in week 11 compared to other Local Government Districts (80.1 per 100,000 population).

"The overall Northern Ireland rate decreased from 64.7 to 54.0 per 100,000 population between weeks 10 and 11. The highest positivity occurred in Derry and Strabane (7.7%). Northern Ireland’s proportion positive in week 11 was 4.8%, a decrease from 5.8% in week 10. This is lower than the peak positivity of 26.4% reported across Northern Ireland in week 53 (27 December 2020 – 03 January 2021)," according to the bulletin which does not cover this week when the case rate locally has continued to increase.

Derry COVID-19 rate rises to 88.3 per 100,000 and remains the highest in the north

Meanwhile, there were 191 COVID-19 related deaths in Derry and Strabane from the start of the pandemic to the end of last week, according to the latest figures published on Friday by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA).

That amounts to 14 per cent of the 1342 deaths reported in Derry and Strabane between March 19, 2020, and March 19, 2021.

Young person under 20 admitted to Altnagelvin with COVID-19; hospital 1.56% over capacity

The PHA also report that dozens of clusters have been identified in Derry/Strabane since the pandemic began.

In total, up to March 21, 2021, a total of 41 clusters of more than five people had been identified in Derry and Strabane by contact tracers. There had been 470 such COVID-19 clusters identified across the north up until the start of last week, according to the PHA.

In addition, there have been 1756 clusters across Northern Ireland with fewer than five people.