Covid-19: Belfast Nightingale Hospital is stood down
By Louise Cullen
The de-escalation of the Nightingale facility in Belfast has been completed.
The Belfast Health Trust has described the de-escalation of the facility as significant .
From now on Covid-19 patients will be cared for at the Mater Hospital on the Crumlin Road, as Belfast City Hospital returns to focus on surgery.
image copyrightPacemaker
image captionThe Nightingale reopened in October for patients seriously ill with Covid-19
It will become a green surgical pathway - where Covid-19 positive patients are not cared for, so that services can be maintained on a Covid-free site.
Covid-19: Belfast Nightingale Hospital to be expanded
By Marie-Louise Connolly & Lesley-Anne McKeown
BBC News NI
image captionThe Nightingale was designed to care for Covid-19 patients who needed ventilation
Northern Ireland s Nightingale Hospital - based at the in the tower block at Belfast City Hospital - is set to be expanded, BBC News NI can reveal.
The plan is to increase the number of intensive care beds from 24 to 32, the Department of Health has confirmed.
At present 20 Covid-19 patients are receiving intensive care at the facility and four beds are available.
On Wednesday, the Department of Health reported a further 13 coronavirus-related deaths in Northern Ireland.