Latest figures published today by NISRA show that 36 deaths involving Covid-19 occurred in the last week, from May 23-29, bringing the total of Covid-19 related deaths to 757.
Of this total, 381 (50.3%) took place in hospital, 328 (43.3%) in care homes, eight (1.1%) in hospices and 40 (5.3%) at residential addresses or other locations.
The 336 deaths which occurred in care homes and hospices involved 78 separate establishments.
The comparative number of deaths reported daily by the Department of Health to May 29 was 528.
These figures are based on patients having previously tested positive for the virus, whereas 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.
Further analysis, which includes deaths of care home residents in hospital shows that of the 396 deaths of care home residents involving Covid-19 in the year to date to May 29, 82.8% (328) occurred in a care home, with the remaining 68 occurring in hospital. On this basis deaths of care home residents account for 52.3% 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 registered in Northern Ireland in the week ending May 29 (week 21) was 316, nine fewer than in week 20 and 37 more than the five-year average of 279.
Over the last nine weeks in total, 939 ‘excess deaths’ (deaths above the average for the corresponding period in previous years) have been registered in Northern Ireland, with the number of ‘excess deaths’ in the year to date to May 29 totalling 680.
Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate for 49 (15.5%) of the 316 deaths registered in week 21, the fifth consecutive weekly fall in the number of registered Covid-19 related deaths and bringing the total number of Covid-19 related deaths registered in the calendar year 2020 to 754.
Persons aged 75 and over accounted for two-thirds (66.8%) of all deaths and 80.0% of Covid‑19 related deaths registered this calendar year up to 29th May.
For Covid-19 related deaths, those with an address in Belfast Local Government District (LGD) accounted for 226 (30.0%) of the 754 deaths registered in the calendar year to 29th May.
