We are wrapping things up on the BBC News NI live page for today.

We hope you will join us again tomorrow from 08:00 for more developments and updates.

Until then, we will leave you with this dash of colour against the grey from Whitehead, County Antrim.

Goodbye for now, and take care.

Image source, Pacemaker

Let's take a look back at some of today's significant developments in Northern Ireland:

• Five patients in the haematology ward at Craigavon Area Hospital have tested positive for Covid-19;
• Twenty members of staff at the hospital's respiratory emergency department are self-isolating after colleagues tested positive;
• There have been 47 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 in NI, bringing the total to 6,823. However, there have been no further deaths (Department of Health total is 559);

• Health Minister Robin Swann says he expects the Education Minister to make an announcement regarding the use of face coverings in schools;
• Exams board CCEA is proposing changes to reduce course content to make up for lost teaching time;
• Further education colleges in NI are to maintain 2m social distancing;
• NI Water says it has faced a 'cost shock' with its network facing extra pressure during the pandemic and customers such as hotels closing.

Latin America and Asia are the continents that currently have the highest number of daily confirmed cases.

In terms of individual countries, Brazil has the second highest number of cases in the world, after the US.

Mexico has the second-highest death toll in Latin America with more than 60,000 deaths, and Argentina recorded its highest number of cases and deaths on Monday even as quarantine measures there were tightened.

India has recorded more than three million cases and has been averaging more than 60,000 new infections each day.

So far more than 58,000 people have died, which amounts to the world's fourth highest death toll.

Read more here for key charts and maps explaining how the virus has spread around the world.

Education Minister Peter Weir "will be making a further announcement" about the use of face coverings in schools, according to Health Minister Robin Swann.

Mr Swann was asked if the NI Executive would adopt a similar approach to Scotland where all pupils over the age of 12 will be required to wear coverings in corridors, communal areas and school buses from next Monday.

The measure does not apply in classrooms.

Mr Swann says he had a conversation with his executive colleague today in the company of Chief Medical Officer Dr Michael McBride.

However, he told a Stormont briefing it was not for him to comment on Minister Weir's advice.

Health Minister Robin Swann begins the press conference by saying Northern Ireland is "walking a tightrope" in the balance to restart society amid rising case numbers of Covid-19.

He says public messaging about safety measures "is as vital today as it ever was" and the advice remains "a matter of life and death".

"Our concern is some of you are getting fed up listening to it and getting tired following it," he told the news conference.

"Complacency is our enemy.

"I hope you'll forgive me for repeating the messages, over and over again."

The minister hailed the success of the Department of Health's StopCOVID NI app which he says has been downloaded more than 300,000 times locally.

Mr Swann says 237 exposure notifications have been issued to those who would have been in close proximity with someone who had tested positive for the virus.

"A number of these would certainly have been missed by the tracing teams were it not for our app," he explained.

Robin Swann has now started this afternoon's press conference.

You can watch live by clicking on the play button at the top of this page.

We reported earlier that five patients had tested positive for Covid-19 at Craigavon Area Hospital.

In a statement, the Southern Trust said "staff are working closely with the Public Health Agency to manage the situation and the safety of both patients and staff remains a priority".

"There will be no routine visiting to the ward until further notice unless in exceptional circumstances.

"Virtual visiting by telephone or tablet device is available on request by contacting 077 7651 6419 between 9am and 5pm.

"Covid-19 is rising again in our community. We urgently appeal to everyone to wash their hands, cover their face maintain social distancing."

Health Minister Robin Swann is due to give a press conference at 16:00 BST from Stormont.

You can watch the minister's address live by pressing play at the top of this page and you can also follow updates throughout the news conference on this page.

We reported earlier today that exams board CCEA has made a number of proposals that could reduce course content to make up for teaching time lost to the pandemic.

The proposals - including a move that could mean English Literature students may not have to read any novels for their course over the next year – are now out for consultation and cover 2021’s GCSE, AS and A-level qualifications

“Young people preparing to take exams and assessments in 2021, and their parents, carers and teachers, are concerned about the impact the Covid-19 pandemic has had on their education,” Education Minister Peter Weir says.

Image source, Pacemaker

“These changes are designed to free up teaching time, reduce pressure on students and allow assessments to be undertaken within current public health restrictions”.

He wants as many people as possible to have their say on the proposals.

“CCEA wants to hear the views of school leaders, teachers, parents and students on the proposed approaches for the year ahead.

“I understand that this a particularly stressful time for our teachers and learners, who want clarity on arrangements for next year as soon as possible,” the minister adds.

More info is available on the CCEA website., external

Louise Cullen
BBC News NI

Five patients in a ward at Craigavon Area Hospital have tested positive for Covid-19.

A member of staff on the haematology ward is also affected.

Others have been sent home to self-isolate, and the ward has been closed to new admissions.

The families of patients are being contacted by the Southern Health Trust.

It is the second outbreak of the virus to be confirmed at the hospital, which treated the highest number of Covid-19 patients in Northern Ireland during the height of the pandemic.

The BBC understands two nurses and a junior doctor from the Respiratory Emergency Department have also tested positive, while another 20 colleagues are isolating.

Most of those staff members have been tested, with the majority of results coming back negative.

Infection control experts have been at the hospital site today.

It is understood there is no identifiable link between the two clusters.

Image source, Rod Dos Santos

Restaurateurs and hoteliers in Scotland are calling for a ban on background music to be lifted saying it is the "kiss of death" for the atmosphere in their premises.

Owners criticised the rule, which came into effect in Scotland on 14 August, saying there "was no logic" to it.

The rule is in place so people do not have to lean in to be heard.

The Scottish government said there was an increased risk of Covid transmission when people raised their voices.

Read more here

Sean Coughlan
BBC News, education correspondent

Image source, PA Media

The government is under pressure to give schools in England more flexibility over allowing face coverings.

Head teachers, who want an urgent review of guidance against face coverings, said if there is going to be a U-turn it should be "sooner rather than later".

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said, depending on the medical advice, "if we need to change the advice then of course we will".

In Scotland, secondary pupils will have to wear face coverings in school corridors.

In England, despite official guidance against face coverings, some schools are already preparing to use them.

Read more here

The Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs is reminding people to dispose of their face coverings correctly and to not dump them as litter.

In a tweet, the department says: "If you are not displaying any Covid symptoms you should dispose of them in your general waste as they cannot be recycled".

Louise Cullen
BBC News NI

The number of care homes with a confirmed active outbreak of Covid-19 has risen to 12, up from nine reported yesterday.

An active care home outbreak is where either a resident or a staff member has recently had a laboratory-confirmed diagnosis of Covid-19.

A suspected outbreak is when a care home resident or staff member has reported symptoms of the disease, such as a high temperature or a new, continuous cough, but has not been diagnosed.

So far, 180 outbreaks have been cleared, with a further five suspected outbreaks being reported, according to the Department of Health's latest update , external

Have a look at a breakdown of the estimated cases per 100,000 people over the last seven days in each of Northern Ireland's council areas.

Most of the new cases recorded in the past 24 hours were in Belfast where 16 new infections were reported.

Forty-seven new cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Northern Ireland in the past 24 hours by the Department of Health.

There have been no further deaths linked to coronavirus in the same 24-hour period and the death toll remains at 559.

There have now been 6,823 positive cases of the virus diagnosed in Northern Ireland.

Michelle Roberts
Health editor, BBC News online

Up until now, the use of face coverings in schools has been voluntary. However, some schools have started asking staff and pupils to wear them, to help stop the spread of Covid-19.

The Scottish government now says that all pupils over the age of 12 should wear them in corridors and communal areas and on school buses.

But pupils will not have to wear them in classrooms.

Face coverings are "strongly encouraged" in NI schools if social distancing is not possible, but are "not generally recommended for routine use".

A government spokesman said pupils in England would not be required to wear face coverings and that there were "no plans" to change the guidance.

Asked whether pupils should wear masks in secondary schools in England, the country's Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr Jenny Harries, said the evidence was "not strong".

Wales does not recommend pupils wear face coverings in school.

Read more about the rules on face masks and coverings in the UK here.

You are now generally required to wear a face mask while out shopping- excluding those who are exempt, for example for medical reasons.

It raises a whole host of questions though. How do you put it on properly, for example? Here, the main things are to have clean hands when putting it on and removing, and making sure it fits snugly with no gaps.

But how do you choose the right one for you - and how do you stop it steaming up your glasses?

We've a full guide here for all your mask-related questions.

Image source, PA Media

EU Trade Commissioner Phil Hogan has provided about 20 pages of documents to European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen after attending a golf society dinner in the west of Ireland with more than 80 people.

RTÉ reports that the documents include guidelines from the Irish Hotels Federation and a map of Ireland showing individual counties.

A spokesperson for the European Commission said Ursula von der Leyen wanted to receive the full range of details from Mr Hogan by 13:00 local time (Republic of Ireland).

Mr Hogan previously apologised "fully and unreservedly" for attending the dinner.

The Irish government has agreed to recall the Dáil (Irish parliament) early amid the controversy surrounding the attendance of political figures at the Galway gathering.

Irish police are investigating if the Oireachtas golf society dinner breached Covid-19 regulations.

The event came a day after tighter lockdown restrictions were announced.