Woman, aged over 80, dies with COVID-19; four more people aged between 40 and 59 admitted to Altnagelvin

Thirty-two people have now died with COVID-19 in Derry and Strabane since the pandemic began, according to the latest data published by the Department of Health on Thursday.

Seventy-three people were being treated at Western Trust hospitals at midnight, according to the DoH, although revised figures show that this figure rose to as high as 81 on Tuesday.

According to a breakdown of general occupancy by hospital, Altnagelvin is now 21.12 per cent 'COVID-19 occupied', 73.60 per cent 'other occupied' with 5.28 per cent capacity still available in the system.

The daily COVID-19 dashboard shows that six of ten ICU beds at Altnagelvin (60 per cent) are occupied with COVID-19 patients. Two further ICU beds are being used for patients with non-COVID issues, and two are unoccupied.

The COVID-19 case rate per 100,000 people in Derry and Strabane is still the highest in the north but it is continuing to fall.

Between October 15 and October 21, 930 people tested positive in the Derry and Strabane area giving a case rate per 100,000 of 617.2.

It's the first time since the seven days September 30 to October 6 that the seven day figure has come in under 1,000.

The daily change in the cumulative number of patients with a positive test in Derry and Strabane between October 20 and October 21 was 110.

In total 4676 have now tested positive for the illness in Derry and Strabane since the pandemic spread to the area.