Weekly update shows 40 more deaths linked to Covid-19

By PA

Forty deaths linked to Covid-19 in Northern Ireland have been recorded in the latest weekly update.

The figure represents a drop in the weekly toll, down from 44 in the previous week, according to data compiled by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (Nisra).

The latest deaths, which happened in the week ending November 26, take the total number of coronavirus-linked fatalities recorded by Nisra to 3,881.

The Nisra figure is drawn from different data sources and is always higher than the Department of Health’s total as it provides a broader picture of the impact of Covid-19.

On November 26, the department had reported 2,867 deaths.

The department’s statistics focus primarily on hospital deaths and only include people who have tested positive for the virus.

Nisra obtains its data from death certificates on which Covid-19 is recorded as a factor by a medical professional, regardless of where the death took place or whether the patient tested positive.

The statistics agency reports its Covid data with a week lag.

Forty deaths linked to Covid-19 in Northern Ireland have been recorded in the latest weekly update.https://t.co/GSuvzonpnZ

— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) December 3, 2021

The Nisra figure includes 2,691 deaths in hospital, 863 in care homes, 15 in hospices and 312 at residential addresses or other locations.

Nisra reported that, up to November 26, the deaths of 1,136 care home residents were linked to Covid-19, 29.3% of all coronavirus-related deaths.

Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate of 65 of the 413 deaths registered in week to November 26.

Some of the fatalities registered in the week November 20 to November 26 could have occurred before that week, as deaths can take a number of days to register.

Those aged 75 and over accounted for 73.8% of the 3,869 Covid-19 related deaths registered between March 19 2020 and November 26 2021.