COVID-19 CASES have seen a huge increase in Northern Ireland in the past few weeks. 

After 1,000 cases were confirmed a day ago, the Taoiseach Micheál Martin and UK Prime Boris Johnson spoke by phone about the worsening situation.

Then today, the number of daily cases rose to 1,080 – a record high for Northern Ireland. The R number for the region is currently between 1.3 and 1.8. 

The alarming spike has forced the Stormont Executive into increasing fines for not adhering to restrictions, and the expansion of locations where masks are required.

The Derry City and Strabane Council area, which has one of the highest infection rates in the UK, is currently subject to additional restrictions. Meanwhile, the border counties of Donegal and Monaghan also have the highest incidence rates of Covid-19 in the Republic. 

To talk us through how Northern Ireland got to this stage, and the complications inherent in trying to deal with it politically, is reporter Dominic McGrath. He also talks presenter Sinéad O’Carroll through what led to the sudden surge, and how the early days of the pandemic there compared to the Republic.

https://soundcloud.com/the-explainer-podcast/how-did-covid-get-so-bad-in-northern-ireland

This episode was put together by presenter Sinéad O’Carroll, producer Aoife Barry, producer and technical operator Nicky Ryan, and executive producer Christine Bohan. The guest was reporter Dominic McGrath.