Covid-19: Four more deaths in NI and 336 infections

A further four people with coronavirus have died, the Northern Ireland's Department of Health reported on Wednesday. This brings the death toll there to 1,957.

An additional 336 people tested positive for the virus.

The figures released by the department show the number of people receiving hospital treatment for the virus has been falling, with 544 patients with Covid-19 in hospital compared to 781 a week ago.

More than 317,000 people in the North have so far received their first dose of the coronavirus vaccine.

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Meanwhile £175 million (€200 million) is to be spent on personal protective equipment due to a reallocation of funding. The money, which has to be spent in this financial year, will be used to build stocks for later use in 2021-22.

“This will be significant in dealing with the cost consequences of the pandemic,” said Minister for Health Robin Swan.