BREAKING: 18 new deaths from COVID-19

By Peter Moor and PA.

18 new deaths from COVID-19 have been confirmed in Northern Ireland, according to the Department of Health dashboard.

This brings the total number of deaths in the province to 365.

Out of the 18 new deaths confirmed today, only 4 happened since yesterday morning at 9:30am.

The data from the dashboard also confirmed that out of Northern Ireland's 115 intensive care unit beds, 33 of these are occupied by patients who are suspected to have COVID-19

Over the course of the outbreak, according to the dashboard, the most deaths from COVID-19 have occurred in the Belfast area with 110 deaths.

The second worst affected area in terms of deaths is the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon area where 41 deaths have been reported.

The dashboard also provides a breakdown by age. It shows that 230 out of the 347 deaths were among those aged 80 or over, with 117 people between the ages of 60 and 79 dying from the virus.

Earlier, the Northern Ireland Statistical and Research Agency (NISRA) indicated there had been 393 deaths by April 24.

The department's figures are based on patients having previously tested positive for the virus, whereas NISRA figures are based on the information entered on death certificates, filled out by medical professionals.

They may or may not have previously tested positive for the virus.

The NISRA figures have indicated that 53.2% of deaths were at hospital, 40% in care homes, 5.9% at home and 0.8% at hospices.

The 161 deaths in care homes and hospices involved 57 separate establishments.

In response to these figures, the Commissioner for Older People, Eddie Lynch said:

“The latest figures from NISRA serve as another grim reminder of the devastating impact that Coronavirus is having across our society. Sadly, it also highlights that older people living in care homes are particularly vulnerable, reinforcing the need for Government to do everything in its power to try to protect them.

Eddie Lynch

“As Commissioner, I will continue to press all relevant authorities to take all the necessary action to help shield older people from this terrible virus, whether that be in care home settings or in their own home.

"There is nothing inevitable about care homes being infected by coronavirus and therefore a key focus must be on protecting all residents and staff through adequate PPE and a universal rolling system of testing. No stone must be left unturned in the fight to save lives.”

Meanwhile, separate analyses of the NISRA figures shows that the provisional number of total deaths registered in Northern Ireland in the week ending April 24 (week 16) was 470, 46 more than in week 15 and 186 more than the five-year average of 284.

Over the last four weeks in total, 596 excess deaths (deaths above the average for the corresponding period in previous years) have been registered in Northern Ireland.

Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate for 128 (27.2%) of the 470 deaths registered in week 16, bringing the total number of Covid-19 related deaths registered in the calendar year 2020 to 370.

Males accounted for around half of all registered deaths (49.1%) and the 370 Covid-19 related deaths (50.3%).