⁍ Northern Ireland reported 1,080 new cases on Friday, 10 times the rate experienced a month ago.
⁍ The rate of cases per 100,000 people since the start of the pandemic has now outstripped that of England, Scotland or Wales.
– Pandemic H1N1 is spreading rapidly in Northern Ireland, where officials say the “situation is grave and getting more so, on a daily if not hourly basis.” The region’s health minister said today that the rate of cases per 100,000 people since the start of the pandemic has now outstripped that of England, Scotland, or Wales, Reuters reports. Northern Ireland reported 1,080 new cases on Friday, 10 times the rate experienced a month ago. “I am advised that further restrictions for Northern Ireland are likely to be required in the very near future” if cases keep going up, he said. Northern Ireland’s devolved government imposed tighter restrictions on household mixing last month and this week banned indoor dining, drinking, and unnecessary travel to and from the hardest-hit area of Derry and Strabane. However its leaders complained this week that they could not consider imposing further measures without more financial support from London. They welcomed an announcement by Britain’s finance minister today of extra help across the UK for businesses forced to close temporarily. There are stricter measures in place across the open border in Ireland—where bars and restaurants can only serve 15 people outdoors. Ireland’s Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said Belfast and Dublin were working to ensure there will be ‘significant co-operation’ to slow the spread across the island.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-nireland/new-northern-ireland-curbs-likely-to-tackle-grave-covid-19-spread-idUSKBN26U28F