Derry/Strabane COVID-19 rate at 74.3 per 100,000 is second highest in the north

Between March 15 and March 21, there were 112 confirmed positive cases of the virus in the district giving a seven day rate per 100,000 of 74.3, up from 73.7 on Sunday.

Derry/Strabane is now recording the second highest coronavirus rate in the north after rising significantly from last Thursday when the rate was 53.1.

Mid Ulster (75.9) is the only area with a higher rate than Derry/Strabane and only just.

Rates are lower in Fermanagh and Omagh (35.1), Lisburn and Castlereagh (39.3), Antrim and Newtownabbey (40.7), Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon (42.6), Causeway Coast and Glens (47.1), Newry, Mourne and Down (51.1), Mid and East Antrim (52.7), Belfast (53.3) and Ards and North Down (69).

Three more admitted with COVID-19 to Altnagelvin; death of man over 80 occurred in hospital on Sunday

The average rate across all districts is 55.8.

Last week, in his paper to the Executive the Health Minister Robin Swann warned that while the restrictions have led to a reduction in case numbers they have not yet reduced to mid-September levels.

Mr. Swann pointed out that the seven-day case rate in Derry/Strabane was at 27.9 per 100,000 on September 14.

According to the figures released on Monday, the local rate is now over twice that rate.

The daily change in the cumulative number of patients with a positive test in Derry and Strabane between March 20 and March 21 was 10.

In total 11,434 people have now tested positive for the illness in Derry and Strabane.