Over 700 Derry and Strabane COVID-19 cases in a week

Over 700 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Derry and Strabane over the past week with the rate per 100,000 now up to 478.5.

By Kevin Mullan

Published 3rd Oct 2020, 17:49 BST

Updated 3rd Oct 2020, 17:52 BST

Eleven people remain in Western Trust hospitals with the illness.

Between September 26 and October 2, 721 people have contracted the illness in Derry and Strabane.

That's more than the total number of coronavirus cases that were registered in the district between the beginning of the pandemic and last Saturday, September 26 by which time 700 in total had tested positive.

The number of registered cases rose from 700 last Saturday, September 26, to 1,425 yesterday, more than doubling in the space of a week.

The only areas with higher numbers of cases are Belfast (3,335) and Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon (1,484), though on current trends Derry and Strabane looks set to outstrip the latter council district within days.