Covid deaths rise further in latest weekly update

There has been a further rise in the number of deaths linked to Covid-19 recorded in Northern Ireland, the latest weekly update shows.

Another 49 deaths were noted by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (Nisra) in the week from October 15 to October 22, up from 35 the previous week and 30 the week before that.

They take the total number of coronavirus-linked deaths recorded by Nisra to 3,611, higher than the 2,657 reported by the Department of Health to the same date.

The Nisra figure is drawn from different data sources and is always higher than the department's total, as it provides a broader picture of the impact of Covid-19.

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 on which Covid-19 is recorded as a factor by a medical professional, regardless of where the death took place or whether the patient tested positive.

The statistics agency reports its Covid data with a week lag.

The Nisra figure includes 2,465 deaths in hospital, 850 in care homes, 14 in hospices and 282 at residential addresses or other locations.

Nisra reported that, up to October 22, the deaths of 1,120 care home residents were linked to Covid-19, 31% of all coronavirus-related deaths.

Separate analysis, based on the date of death registration, shows the provisional number of total deaths from all causes registered in Northern Ireland in the week ending October 22 was 313 - 24 fewer than in the previous week and nine more than the five-year average (2016-2020) of 304.

People aged 75 and over accounted for 74.3% of the Covid-related deaths registered between March 19 2020 and October 22 2021.

Across the pandemic, the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon and Mid-Ulster council areas have had higher proportions of Covid-19 related deaths (12.4% and 8.2% respectively) compared with their share of all deaths in Northern Ireland (10.4% and 6.6% respectively), according to Nisra.

Meanwhile, the Ards and North Down and Fermanagh and Omagh council areas have had relatively low shares of registered Covid-19 related deaths - 2.6 and 2.1 percentage points lower respectively than their share of all deaths.