THE STORMONT EXECUTIVE is reportedly set to implement a fresh two-week ‘circuit-breaker’ lockdown to curb the spread of Covid-19 in the North.

A meeting of the executive’s parties this evening agreed that new restrictions would begin next Friday, the same day that restrictions on a number of sectors were supposed to end.

Health minister Robin Swann warned that more interventions were necessary before the end of this month to curb the spread of coronavirus.

His ultimatum to Stormont colleagues stated that if they did not take action, a full lockdown in mid-December would not be enough to prevent hospital services from being overwhelmed.

It’s reported that the new restrictions will see the closure of all non-essential retail, leisure and hospitality businesses, and churches.

However, it’s understood that schools will still be allowed to remain open under the restrictions.

Swann also asked fellow ministers to consider local travel restrictions which were legally enforceable

It comes as a five-week circuit-break lockdown in the North ends tonight, after a one-week extension to those restrictions was agreed last Wednesday night.

From tomorrow, cafes, coffee shops, hairdressers and beauticians are allowed to reopen, while pubs, hotels and restaurants had been expected to re-open next Friday.

There were strong divisions among the Stormont executive when the measures were extended last week, as ministers struggled to agree on continuing with restrictions.

Both the DUP and Sinn Fein have been at loggerheads recently over how quickly to reopen the economy

The DUP last week used a peace process-designed veto to thwart its powersharing partner Sinn Fein’s plans to order an extension of Northern Ireland’s circuit-breaker

Earlier today, the North confirmed 12 more Covid-19 deaths and 487 new cases of the virus.

With reporting from Press Association.