Northern Ireland is currently experiencing its pandemic worst case scenario, the deputy First Minister has warned. Michelle O'Neill said dire predictions made last March about the potential pressures the region's health service could face were now coming true.
Ms O'Neill said that while Northern Ireland had now passed the peak of new infections in the current Covid-19 wave, the associated surge in hospital admissions was still to come.
Her stark assessments came after health chiefs warned that the number of Covid-19 patients being treated in hospital could double by the third week in January.
There are currently 736 people with the virus in hospitals across Northern Ireland, which is an increase of 33 since yesterday.