Northern Ireland coronavirus restrictions extended by three weeks

Northern Ireland will keep coronavirus restrictions in place for another three weeks, First Minister Arlene Foster said on Wednesday, keeping the British-run region in line with similar measures in Ireland due to run until May 5.

The British government will make an announcement on Thursday on its review of social distancing measures, a spokesman for Prime Minister Boris Johnson said earlier on Wednesday, repeating that advisers do not believe Britain has passed the peak of the coronavirus pandemic.

"We have decided restrictions will remain in place for another three weeks and we will review that coming up to that time," Foster told a news conference, saying Northern Ireland was still in the middle of its first wave of cases.