AS WE reach the end of February the possibility of a return to some sort of normality has appeared on the horizon.

A roadmap out of lockdown for Northern Ireland is expected soon and it will be a welcome sight as the positive signs that restrictions have worked in quelling the spread of Covid-19 are seen in the Department of Health’s daily updates.

The improvements in the fight against the virus can bee seen in the difference in the drop in number of positive cases and deaths in Fermanagh and Omagh.

From the Department of Health’s updates, from January 2-27 there were 1,326 cases locally, compared to 205 cases from February 1-24. Between the same dates in January, there were 25 Covid-related deaths, compared to 7 between the same dates in February.

From Wednesday’s report from the Department, there were two Covid-related deaths in Northern Ireland, bringing the total to 2,043. However, Fermanagh and Omagh’s death toll remained at 83.

In terms of positive cases, 260 people tested positive for the virus. There have now been 111,651 positive cases in Northern Ireland.

10 cases

In Fermanagh and Omagh, there were 10 positive cases, bringing the total to 5,532.

Fermanagh and Omagh continue to have the lowest seven-day rate of positive Covid cases in Northern Ireland.

Some 54 people have tested positive locally in the past week, which is a rate of 46.2. Of these 54 cases, 10 were aged 19 and under; 20 were aged between 20 and 39; 17 were between 40 and 59; six were between 60 and 79, and one was aged 80 and over.

From February 15-21, postal districts in Fermanagh recorded low positive cases, with BT92 having eight; BT74 had eight; BT94 and BT93 both recorded two cases.

There are currently 42 Covid in-patients in the Western Trust, with 17 in the SWAH. Across all hospitals in Northern Ireland, there are 356 Covid in-patients.