Three more people admitted to Altnagelvin with COVID-19; 12 in hospital in the Western Trust

Since last Sunday twelve people have been admitted to the local hospital according to the latest data released by the Department of Health.

One person, aged over 80, was admitted on Friday. Two people, aged between 40 and 59, were admitted on Saturday, and another patient, aged over 80, was taken to the hospital on Monday.

According to the latest data at midnight on Monday there were 12 confirmed COVID-19 inpatients in the Western Trust.

There were 401 positive coronavirus cases in Derry and Strabane over the past week and the rolling seven day case rate for the district was 266.1 per 100,000, more than double Belfast's 123.7, and nearly three times the average in the north which is now 90.5

More older people are getting the illness with 27 confirmed positive cases among people aged 60 to 79 and eight positive cases among people aged over 80 between September 22 and 28.

Most cases, however, were in the younger population cohorts: 20-39 (204), 40-59 (104) and 0-19 (58).

The number of cases in Derry and Strabane rose from 440 on Sunday, September 20, to 891 today - a doubling period of just ten days.

There were more confirmed cases in Derry and Strabane (401) in the past seven days than were recorded between the start of the pandemic and Friday, September 18, (387).