evidence: Up to 29 December, a total of 1,311 deaths had been recorded by the Department of Health (DoH). Its daily figures are based on a positive test result having been recorded. [...] The day the first death was announced, Health Minister Robin Swann described the scale of the impending surge as being "of biblical proportions". [...] However, as the R rate and hospital admissions began to rise, by autumn there were localised lockdowns and eventually more strict rules were put in place again.