NISRA: 100 people died from Covid-19 last week as death toll now stands at 1,333

By Q Radio news

Official figures released this morning show 100 people died from Covid-19 related illnesses in Northern Ireland last week.

The Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency say the total number of Covid-related deaths stands at 1,333 up until last Friday.

Department of Health figures for the same period show a total of 927 deaths. 

Of the 1,333 total deaths involving Covid-19 occurring up to 20th November, 789 (59.2%) occurred in hospital, 447 (33.5%) occurred in care homes, nine (0.7%) occurred in hospices and 88 (6.6%) occurred at residential addresses or another location. (2/4) https://t.co/KmdVrvPf6p pic.twitter.com/nvP5EcZWOO

— NISRA (@NISRA) November 27, 2020

Almost 60% of fatalities happened in hospitals but a third were in care homes.

Statistics agency Nisra said: “The 69 Covid-19 deaths occurring in hospital this week represents the largest weekly number in this setting since the start of the pandemic in March 2020.”

The comparative overall number of deaths reported daily by the Department of Health to November 20 was 927.

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.

Further analysis, which includes deaths of care home residents in hospital, shows that, of the 560 deaths of care home residents involving Covid-19 in the year to date to November 20, 80% (447) occurred in a care home, with the remaining 113 happening in hospital.

On this basis, deaths of care home residents account for 42% of all Covid-19-related deaths; however, no assumptions can be made in relation to where or when the deceased contracted the disease.