Four further coronavirus-related deaths have been reported in Northern Ireland on Saturday.
The fatalities are said to have occurred during the current reporting period.
A further 1,274 positive Covid cases have also been recorded in NI today.
This brings the total number of positive cases to 248,706 since the start of the pandemic, according to the Department of Health.
According to figures released on Saturday, 2,548,548 coronavirus vaccines have been administered in total.
Meanwhile, the winter months could see “the greatest pressures ever experienced by our health service”, Robin Swann has warned.
Speaking at the Ulster Unionist Party conference in Belfast, the Health Minister said a likely upsurge in respiratory illnesses such as influenza, combined with the impact of Covid-19, would present a “different” kind of challenge for the health service.
He said hospitals are already seeing a spike in demand, and it is happening much sooner than usual.
Mr Swann said: “I am determined however to do absolutely everything we can to help our health service recover from the intense damage Covid has inflicted on it.
“But the weeks and months ahead will possibly yet again see the greatest pressures ever experienced by our health service.
“Winter has long been a challenging time for our health service, but winter this year will be different as it’ll be combined with ongoing high levels of Covid within the community, the usual colder weather and a likely upsurge in outbreaks of other respiratory viruses such as RSV and influenza.
“These pressures will be keenly felt across our entire hospital, community and social care services.
“And we’re already seeing a much greater than usual spike in demand, and it has been happening sooner.
“As a result parts of our health service have already experienced severe winter-like pressures over the summer months.”
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