NISRA Covid-19 related deaths: week ending May 7th

By Q Radio News

Latest figures published today by NISRA show that two deaths involving Covid-19 occurred in the week 1st May to 7th May 2021.

This is the lowest number of Covid-19 related deaths that have occurred in one week since the end of August 2020. 

The total number of Covid-19 related deaths that occurred up to 7th May 2021 has now reached 2,961.

Of the 2,961 Covid-19 related deaths, 1,959 (66.2%) took place in hospital, 772 (26.1%) in care homes, 14 (0.5%) in hospices and 216 (7.3%) at residential addresses or other locations.

The comparative number of deaths reported daily by the Department of Health to 7th May 2021 was 2,147. These figures are based on patients having previously tested positive for the virus, whereas the NISRA figures are based on the information entered on death certificates completed by medical professionals.

They may or may not have previously tested positive for the virus and therefore include both confirmed and suspected cases, and where Covid-19 was either a contributor to or the main cause of death.

The total number of Covid-19 related deaths occurring between the 18 March 2020 and 7 May 2021 has now reached 2,961. DoH figures for the same period show a total of 2,147 deaths.https://t.co/EVxlymZuC0 pic.twitter.com/IDPjvIupg7

— NISRA (@NISRA) May 14, 2021

Further analysis, which includes deaths of care home residents in hospital, shows that of the 1,009 deaths of care home residents involving Covid-19 which occurred between 18th March 2020 and 7th May 2021, 76.5% (772) occurred in a care home, with the remaining 237 occurring in hospital. On this basis, deaths of care home residents account for 34.1% of all Covid-19 related deaths; however, no assumptions can be made in relation to where or when the deceased contracted the disease.

Separate analyses, based on the date of death registration, shows that the provisional number of total deaths from all causes registered in Northern Ireland in the week ending 7th May 2021 (week 18, 2021) was 270, 21 less than in week 17 and four less than the 5-year average (2016-2020) of 274.

Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate of three (1.1%) of the 270 deaths registered in week 18, a decrease of five deaths from the previous week and the lowest number of Covid-19 related deaths registered since the week ending 2nd October 2020.

The total number of Covid-19 related deaths registered to 7th May 2021 has now reached 2,960.

Of the 2,961 Covid-19 related deaths, 1,959 (66.2%) occurred in hospital, 772 (26.1%) occurred in care homes, 14 (0.5%) occurred in hospices and 216 (7.3%) occurred at residential addresses or another location. https://t.co/EVxlynh60A pic.twitter.com/sEAErruusU

— NISRA (@NISRA) May 14, 2021

Persons aged 75 and over accounted for 76.1% of the 2,960 Covid‑19 related deaths registered between 19th March 2020 and 7th May 2021. Over the period of the pandemic, Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon and Mid-Ulster Local Government Districts have had higher proportions of Covid-19 related deaths (12.1% and 8.3% respectively) compared with their share of all deaths in Northern Ireland (10.3% and 6.5% respectively).

Conversely, Ards & North Down and Fermanagh & Omagh both have relatively low shares of registered Covid-19 related deaths when compared to the proportion of Northern Ireland deaths registered in those areas (2.5 percentage points each lower than their share of all deaths).