Northern Ireland records 49 deaths linked to Covid-19 last week

By Q Radio News

Latest figures published today by NISRA show that 49 deaths involving Covid-19 occurred in the week 30 October to 12 November 2021.

The total number of Covid-19 related deaths that occurred up to 12 November 2021 has now reached 3,782. 

The comparative number of deaths reported daily by the Department of Health (DoH) to 12 November 2021 was 2,788.

The DoH count is 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.

Further analysis, which includes deaths of care home residents by place of death, shows that there was a total of 1,133 deaths of care home residents involving Covid-19 (including deaths that took place somewhere other than the care home) occurring between 18 March 2020 and 12 November 2021.

This accounts for 30.0% of all Covid-19 related deaths. However, no assumptions can be made in relation to where the deceased contracted the disease.

Separate analysis, 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 12 November 2021 (week 45 2021) was 403, 32 more than in week 44 and 83 more than the 5-year average (2016-2020) of 320.

Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate of 62 (15.4%) of the 403 deaths registered in week 45, an increase of three from the previous week. The total number of Covid-19 related deaths registered to 12 November 2021 has now reached 3,762.

Persons aged 75 and over accounted for 74.0% of the 3,762 Covid‑19 related deaths registered between 19 March 2020 and 12 November 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 (12.3% and 8.1% respectively) compared with their share of all deaths in Northern Ireland (10.3% and 6.6% respectively).

Conversely, Ards & North Down and Fermanagh & Omagh both have relatively low shares of registered Covid-19 related deaths (2.4 and 2.1 percentage points lower respectively than their share of all deaths).