Official figures show 35 deaths involving covid-19 recorded in NI last week

By Q Radio News

Official figures show 35 deaths involving covid-19 occurred in Northern Ireland last week, representing an increase of five from the week before. 

It brings the death toll recorded by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) to 3,554 up until 15th October. 

Of NISRA's total,  2,423 (68.2%) took place in hospital, 846 (23.8%) in care homes, 14 (0.4%) in hospices and 271 (7.6%) at residential addresses or other locations.

In comparison, the Department of Health reported 2,614 covid-19 related deaths during the same period. 

The difference in the figures from two bodies is due to the way in which their data is recorded. 

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.

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.

Meanwhile, further analysis of NISRA's stats which includes deaths of care home residents by place of death, shows that there was a total of 1,110 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 15 October 2021.

This accounts for 31.2% 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 15 October 2021 (week 41, 2021) was 337, 7 more than in week 40 and 47 more than the 5-year average (2016-2020) of 290.