Statistics body reports 30 Covid-19 linked deaths in Northern Ireland last week

By Q Radio news

Figures published today show there were 30 deaths involving Covid -19 in Northern Ireland last week.

The total number of Covid-19 related deaths has now reached 3,512 in the week 2 October to 8 October 2021 -according to statistics body NISRA.

The comparative number of deaths reported by the Department of Health for the same period was 2,585. 

The Department's 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.

LATEST: Figures published today show there were 30 deaths involving Covid 19 in Northern Ireland last week. The total number of Covid-19 related deaths has now reached 3,512 according to statistics body NISRA.
The Department of Health reported 2,585 deaths for the same period.

— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) October 15, 2021

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 1,106 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 8 October 2021.

This accounts for 31.5% 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 8 October 2021 (week 40, 2021) was 330, 50 less than in week 39 and 16 more than the 5-year average (2016-2020) of 314.

Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate of 28 (8.5%) of the 330 deaths registered in week 40, a decrease of 20 from the previous week.

This weekly total is similar to that last observed at the start of August 2021.

The total number of Covid-19 related deaths registered to 8 October 2021 has now reached 3,501.

Persons aged 75 and over accounted for 74.6% of the 3,501 Covid-19 related deaths registered between 19 March 2020 and 8 October 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 (12.4% and 8.3% 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 (2.7 and 2.1 percentage points lower respectively than their share of all deaths).