Two Covid-related deaths recorded in week ending June 11

By Q Radio News

Latest figures published today by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency show that two deaths involving Covid-19 occurred in the week 5th June to 11th June 2021.

The total number of Covid-19 related deaths that occurred up to 11th June 2021 has now reached 2,979.

Of the 2,979 Covid-19 related deaths, 1,972 (66.2%) took place in hospital, 776 (26.0%) in care homes, 14 (0.5%) in hospices and 217 (7.3%) at residential addresses or other locations.

Official figures show two people died as a result of Covid-19 in Northern Ireland last week.

The latest figures from the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency show 2,979 people have died as a result of the virus, as of the 11th of June. pic.twitter.com/XZDgdH4UhU

— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) June 18, 2021

The comparative number of deaths reported daily by the Department of Health to 11th June 2021 was 2,155.

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.

Further analysis, which includes deaths of care home residents in hospital, shows that of the 1,013 deaths of care home residents involving Covid-19 which occurred between 18th March 2020 and 11th June 2021, 76.6% (776) occurred in a care home, with the remaining 237 occurring in hospital.

One of these deaths occurred in the latest week. On this basis, deaths of care home residents account for 34.0% 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 11th June 2021 (week 23, 2021) was 265, 17 less than in week 22 and 19 less than the 5-year average (2016-2020) of 284.

Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate of two (0.8%) of the 265 deaths registered in week 23, no change from the previous week and the joint lowest weekly total registered since early October 2020. The total number of Covid-19 related deaths registered to 11th June 2021 has now reached 2,978.

Persons aged 75 and over accounted for 76.1% of the 2,978 Covid‑19 related deaths registered between 19th March 2020 and 11th June 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 (12.0% and 8.4% 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 (2.6 and 2.5 percentage points lower respectively than their share of all deaths).