A further 3,737 positive Covid cases have been recorded in Northern Ireland today.
This brings the total number of positive cases to 527,459 since the start of the pandemic, according to the Department of Health.
Over the past seven days, the Department said 34,622 individuals have tested positive in Northern Ireland.
Eight further coronavirus-related deaths have also been reported in Northern Ireland on Friday.
There are 363 patients in hospitals here with coronavirus, while there are 22 individuals with covid in intensive care.
The death toll from the Department of Health now stands at 3,100.
A total of 3,661,792 vaccines have now been administered in Northern Ireland.
Meanwhile, parents of children aged five to eleven who are considered at risk are being encouraged to get them vaccinated "without delay".
The Public Health Agency has issued a call for children who are classed in the clinical risk group or in a household with someone who is immunosuppressed to be offered the Covid vaccine.
While most children who contract the virus only suffer mild symptoms or have none at all, there are some with certain health conditions who are more at risk from it and more likely to go to hospital.
Dr Jillian Johnston, Joint Interim Assistant Director in Health Protection at the PHA, said: “There are approximately 25,000 children aged 5 to 11 year olds in Northern Ireland eligible for the Covid-19 vaccine and we are urging the parents of these children to take up the offer when invited.
“A new specially designed paediatric formulation of the Pfizer BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine has been approved for this age group and it’s given at a lower dose compared to that used in individuals aged 12 and above (10 micrograms compared with 30 micrograms). Like all children’s vaccines this approval was given following a robust review of data showing that it is safe and effective to use in this cohort.”
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