Listen: “I’m just at home,” the Minister of Health tells Covid’s cynic.

Health Minister Robin Swan

Rebecca Black, PA

Health Minister Robin Swan urged those who did not believe that Covid-19 poses a real threat of “staying home.”

He also said that anyone who believed the virus was a hoax was “fooled.”

“I have a very simple message. Stay home and get off the road. If you think this is a hoax, talk to the nurse, talk to the doctor, talk to the hospital porter. Currently I Talk to people working in our medical services and care facilities to see what Covid really means, “he told the BBC.

“If they think this is some kind of big hoax manipulated all over the world, don’t worry about Northern Ireland alone, they’re confused.”

An additional 13 Covid-19-related deaths were announced in Northern Ireland on Tuesday. This is the highest number per day since May.

According to Ministry of Health statistics, 360 patients with Covid-19 are being treated in hospitals and 38 are receiving intensive care.

The number being treated in the hospital exceeded the peak of the first wave of 322 on April 8.

Swan described the number as “painful” and urged the public to “dig in” and follow public health advice.

“I didn’t expect double-digit deaths after returning to May,” he said.

“I’m now asking people to dig deeper and follow the rules and advice given by executives, because there has been a significant reduction in the number of those positive cases, especially in Derry City and Stravain. Currently, there are about 480 areas per 100,000 people. There were nearly 1,000 14 days ago.

“We have taken a week and a half to limit the current limits across Northern Ireland and are beginning to see a slight decline.”

Swan said the school is scheduled to reopen next week and work is underway to address concerns about school gates, transportation and additional school activities.

Robin Swan

“There is work being done there to ensure that those opportunities can be reduced again due to the possibility of infection,” he said.

Mr. Swan also said that there would be a “challenge to what we perceive as a normal Christmas”, but he “Christmas spirit” by supporting loved ones and celebrating with them. I urged you to continue.

“I think we can do that. If we get together for the next two and a half weeks, we’ll be able to get to a better place to come to Christmas at the end of the year,” he said.

A former senior doctor claimed that this week was “the worst in NHS’s living memory.”

Dr. Tom Black, chairman of the British Medical Association’s Northern Ireland Council, said the hospital is suffering from an increasing number of Covid-19 cases, a shortage of staff available, and a “triple whammy” of winter pressure. Stated.

Dr. Tom Black

He added that the second wave of the pandemic in Northern Ireland “looks worse” than the first wave earlier this year.

He warned about the “very difficult moon”: “Frankly, it’s the worst I’ve ever seen in a career of more than 35 years, and it’s the same for all Northern Ireland doctors. I’ve seen something like this.

“This is probably the worst week of the NHS in living memory, and the concern is that next week will get worse.

“We are facing a triple wormy. We have a huge number of staff who have had a pandemic and have been freed from illness and winter pressure. All three are happening at the same time. Usually in near capacity. I didn’t have to deal with this on a working system. “

Dr. Black called for support for Northern Ireland hospitals and further restrictions on the general public to stop the spread of the virus.

“We need to be very clear in general that there is a very very difficult moon in front of us,” he added.