Four of NI's top hospitals have run out of Intensive Care Unit beds

A group representing close contact workers will set out a case in court against the "disproportionate" and "arbitrary" shutdown of their businesses.

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Subscribe              Oct 27, 2020           Good afternoon,   Welcome to today's Coronavirus update from the News Letter team.   "This is the worst week in the NHS probably in living memory and the concern is that next week will be worse."   No one could fail to be concerned at the words of Dr Tom Black, chairman of the British Medical Association's Northern Ireland Council.   His warning comes as we sadly report today that another 13 people in Northern Ireland who had tested positive for Covid-19 have died in the past 24 hours.  Our sincere condolences are extended to all the families affected.   A further 722 people have tested positive over the same period of time.   The figures - along with an increasing demand for space in our hospitals - are a stark reminder of just how serious every single one of us must take the spread of the virus and do everything we can to help curb it by following the health guidelines.   Thanks for reading and stay safe.   Valerie Martin,   Head of Content.   *  If you value our journalism, please consider taking out a digital subscription to the News Letter for as little as £1 for three months.  Along with other benefits, as a subscriber you will now also have access to our new online puzzles with four brand new brain games every day - two crosswords (quick and cryptic), sudoku and a wordwheel. Check out your subscription options here.           Hairdressers and beauticians in legal challenge to business closures           A group representing close contact workers will set out a case in court against the "disproportionate" and "arbitrary" shutdown of their businesses.                 Patients turned away as NI hospital runs out of beds   A Northern Ireland hospital was pushed "beyond capacity" yesterday with dozens of patients refused admission until beds could be freed.           Coronavirus restrictions hitting NI city and town centre trade worse than anywhere else in UK   Coronavirus restrictions in Northern Ireland are hampering city centre trade more than in other parts of the UK, new research has found.           Ruth Dudley Edwards: Edwin Poots was right to raise behavioural factors in the spread of Covid-19   'At today's press briefing," tweeted Sam Taylor, chief executive of the think tank These Islands, last week, "Sturgeon said she suspects that Scotland came very close to eliminating Covid over the summer, before it was (at least in part) re-seeded by travel from other parts of the UK."           Follow our LIVE BLOG for the latest Coronavirus updates   The Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS) has warned that all must be done to support the re-opening of schools in early November after the extended mid-term break announced by the Minister of Education.           Lockdown mum launches boobingit.com   As more Covid-19 restrictions loom for Northern Ireland, Breastfeeding advocate and mum of two, Ruth Maguire, has launched a website to inform, inspire and empower new mums on their breastfeeding journey.           Let's not all regret 'the road not taken'   The release of the Department of Health's evidence which informed their decisions regarding the "circuit breaker" caused a furore, with many sectors feeling unduly punished. Analysis showed that in some cases the forced closure of businesses and impact livelihoods would have only a minimal impact on the so-called 'R' rate, which measures the rate of transmission of Covid-19.           A big welcome for seasonal socially distanced spooks this Halloween   Halloween is very different this year, with spooky online events and all sorts of health-regulated outdoor hauntings happening here and around the world.           OPINION: Schools in Northern Ireland must come back after the extended half term break and they must stay back   On our news pages today there are worrying reports about the spread of Covid and its impact.           Portadown's Christmas survival fears ahead of another 'heartbreaking' fight to save club   Portadown chairman Ronnie Stinson has spent the past three years helping to rebuild his hometown club but fears financial ruin within months without NI Executive help.           Gerry Campbell, head of Catholic education sector, warns against extending school closures   The head of the Catholic education sector has warned against keeping schools shut after this week.                 View more on Coronavirus

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