Another nine covid-linked deaths in NI

Covid deaths
Author: Nigel GouldPublished 25th Sep 2020

Northern Ireland's death tally from covid-related deaths now stands at nearly 900.

New figures from the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency show 896 people have died since the end of last week.

The Department of Health has reported two further fatalities since then.

Nisra, which reports with a week lag, said nine Covid-19 linked deaths occurred in the week September 12 to September 18.

The comparative total number of deaths reported daily by the Department of Health stood at 575 on September 18.

The Nisra data gives a fuller picture of Covid-19 fatalities than the figures released on a daily basis by the department.

The department's statistics focus primarily on hospital deaths and only include people who have tested positive for the virus.

Nisra obtains its data from death certificates in which Covid-19 is recorded as a factor by a medical professional, regardless of where the fatality occurred.

The person may or may not have tested positive for the virus.

Of the 896 deaths recorded by Nisra by September 18, 479 (53.5%) occurred in hospital, 355 (39.6%) in care homes, eight (0.9%) in hospices and 54 (6%) at residential addresses or other locations.

The 363 deaths which occurred in care homes and hospices involved 84 separate establishments.

Nisra also provides an analysis around the total number of care home residents who have died, whether in their home or in hospital, having been transferred for treatment.

Up to September 18, the deaths of 436 care home residents were linked to coronavirus, 81 of which occurred in hospital.

Care home residents make up just under 50% of all deaths linked to Covid-19 in Northern Ireland.

In the week September 12 to September 18, eight coronavirus-linked deaths were officially registered in Northern Ireland, some of which might have occurred prior to that week as fatalities can take a number of days to register.

The number of registrations was up one on the previous week.