area is three times higher than strabane council area is three times higherthan in the strabane councilreland. 0ver higher than in the rest of northern ireland. over the border higher than in the rest of northern ireland. 0verthe border in higher than in the rest of northern ireland. over the border in county donegal, the irish government have put in place tighter restrictions than in most of the rest of the country, and there is usually a lot of traffic crossing that border, but now, people are being asked not to go across the frontier unless they absolutely have to. people in county donegal are being told they can only leave the county for essential reasons. back here in belfast, a small number of students, we are told, have been confirmed as having coronavirus at queen's university, belfast, and they are self— isolating. belfast, and they are self—isolating. we're not sure exactly how many students are involved but there is no wider lockdown in student, nation. and the devolved government is currently working out new legislation for pubs and restaurants. it is expected they will brin

these new figures pushed derry city and straban into the top six council areas in the uk in relation recommending the executive imposes further restrictions. aren't you going to be seen by the public as someone who's crying "wolf" all the time? mary—louise, as i said in my comments, i think it would be inconceivable for the executive not to do something tomorrow. you yourself indicated the increase we've had in the past day — 24 hours, we've increased a further 100 positive cases. that has doubled in the past number of days. 67 people have now been admitted to hospital — that's eight more than yesterday. and there are ten in intensive care — a rise of two in 24 hours. the bbc understands that, if and when required, the nightingale hospital at the belfast city tower block is ready for use. northern ireland is at a crossroads. it's — if our behaviours do not change, if attitudes if attitudes this virus toughen, then on the trajectory, hospital and patient numbers will exceed those of the first wave in only six weeks' time. meanwhile, hospitals are contending with their own covid outbre

is the level of spread in the north—west of northern ireland, the case rate in the derry city and strabanen the rest of northern ireland. over the border in county donegal, the irish government have put in place tighter restrictions than in most of the rest of the country and there is usually a lot of traffic crossing that border, but for now people are being asked not to go across the frontier unless they absolutely have to, and people in county donegal are being told they can only leave the county for essential reasons. back in belfast, a number of students, a small number have been confirmed as having coronavirus at queen's university belfast, they are self isolating. we are not sure exactly how many students are involved, but there is no wider lockdown in student accommodation and the devolved government is currently working out new legislation for pubs and restaurants. it is expected they will bring in a curfew, but exactly when the curfew will be could be announced in the next five hours or so. 0ur political correspondent iain watson is in westminster. new fines come into force on ye