Both Craigavon Area Hospital and Daisy Hill Hospital are reported to be “under huge pressure” whilst South West Acute Hospital has appealed for extra help. On Twitter Western Trust Hospital requested “all off-duty staff” return to work if they are able to do so.
Speaking to Sky News Dr Anne Kilgallen, Western Trust’s chief executive, warned Northern Irish hospitals are “facing into an abyss”.
She added: “We can say that this situation is more grave than it has ever been in the course of this pandemic.
“I would go so far as to say our hospitals are facing into an abyss.
“At the moment one in four of the people in our hospitals have COVID-19. It’s about 700 people.
“At the peak of the first surge there were 400 people in hospital so already we’re in a very grave situation.
“The projections show this is likely to double by the third week of January.”
According to the Office for National Statistics around one in 200 people in Northern Ireland is currently infected by coronavirus.
The figure for England, which has been particularly badly hit by the new Covid strain first identified in Kent, in one in 50.
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She added: “This has been a heartbreaking decision for each of us as chief executives and it’s a decision that has not been taken lightly but we’re absolutely certain we need to do this now if we’re going to be able to provide essential services to those who are the sickest in our society.”
On Sunday the UK recorded another 54,940 coronavirus infections and 563 deaths within 28 days of testing positive for the virus.
A reporting lag over weekends means figures are often lower for Sunday’s than other days.
This takes the total British dead toll to 81,431, the fifth highest in the world.
On Friday the UK recorded another Covid 1,325 deaths, the most on any single day since the pandemic began.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned: “Our hospitals are under more pressure than at any other time since the start of the pandemic, and infection rates continue to soar at an alarming rate.
“The vaccine rollout has given us renewed hope, but it’s critical for now we stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives.”
Over two percent of the British population has now received their first coronavirus vaccine jab.
In a bid to save lives patients are only being given one jab at the moment so more people can be treated.
Earlier this week a third vaccine, produced by Moderna, was approved for use in the UK.
