Care home visits can resume from Monday under strict conditions

Death toll remains 551

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News   What's On   Lifestyle              Jul 1, 2020           Good afternoon  The latest statistics released by the Department of Health show that coronavirus remains on the decline in Northern Ireland.  Yet again, no-one has died with Covid-19 over the last 24 hours, and no-one with the condition is being treated in ICU here. However, there are 19 people with Covid-19 who are taking up beds in Northern Ireland hospitals and there are 23 people with Covid-19 in NI care homes. In addition, just one positive test for the virus was recorded here. This is very welcome news and a reminder of how the vast majority of people in Northern Ireland have adhered to the strict guidelines on social distancing over recent months.  However, the storm about a possible spike in coronavirus cases following a huge gathering in west Belfast on Tuesday for the funeral of Bobby Storey shows little sign of abating. A crowd of possibly thousands lined the streets to pay tribute to the former IRA man.  Deputy first minister Michelle O'Neill has faced widespread calls to resign, however she has insisted that the strict coronavirus guidelines were adhered to at all times on Tuesday.  The first minister has called on Ms O'Neill to apologise. I have a feeling that this story could run and run.  Stay safe Alistair Bushe, Editor  Want total access to all of our online content? You can subscribe to our website, newsletter.co.uk for just £1 a month for 3 months - and it couldn't be easier. Signing up will get you faster-loading articles, fewer adverts and access to exclusive content and events when we run them. To learn more, visit our Subscriptions page here.           Michelle O'Neill 'scrapped social distancing for a selfie in the cemetery' says Máiría Cahill           Former Sinn Féin party member, Máiría Cahill, has said deputy First Minister, Michelle O'Neill &quote;scrapped social distancing for a selfie in the cemetery&quote; while she attended the funeral of veteran Irish republican, Bobby Storey, in Belfast on Tuesday.                 'All I wanted was to hug gran but I could not – now Michelle O'Neill needs to do honourable thing and step aside'   A UUP councillor whose relative was buried in May has contrasted the toned-down funeral given to their family member with the massive crowds honouring Bobby Storey.           Care home visits can resume from Monday under strict conditions   Visitors will be allowed into care homes from Monday onwards if certain safety conditions can be met on each occasion, the health minister has said.           Death toll remains 551 after no further deaths with virus - one person infected with Covid-19   No one died in the last 24 hours in NI with coronavirus, according to the Department of Health.           Street cafe fee waived in council area   Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council looks set to agree to waive the licence fee for on street cafes.           Ulster Bank charity launches £1m grant fund to help social enterprises survive coronavirus crisis   Social & Community Capital (S&CC), an independent charity launched by Ulster Bank in 1999 to support social enterprises and community businesses, has announced a £1 million Coronavirus Response Fund to help organisations that have suffered a loss because of Covid-19 lockdown restrictions.           Over 6,700 local business funding requests approved since mid-March   Bank of Ireland UK has revealed it has supported more than 6,700 local business funding requests since the middle of March and approvals continue to grow daily.           Children's book on Covid-19 is a sell-out success story   The author of a book which explains COVID-19 to young children has been taken aback by the response to it from both parents and politicians here.                 View more on Coronavirus

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