There was one death attributed to Covid-19 in Northern Ireland during the last week in July according to the weekly NISRA update
Up To July 31, the total Covid-19 related deaths figure stands at 855.
Of this total, 449 (52.5%) took place in hospital, 349 (40.8%) in care homes, eight (0.9%) in hospices and 49 (5.7%) at residential addresses or other locations. The 357 deaths which occurred in care homes and hospices involved 81 separate establishments.
The comparative number of deaths reported daily by the Department of Health at July 31 was 556. 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.
Further analysis, which includes deaths of care home residents in hospital, shows that of the 429 deaths of care home residents involving COVID-19 in the year to date to 31st July 2020, 81.4% (349) occurred in a care home, with the remaining 80 occurring in hospital.
On this basis, deaths of care home residents account for 50.2% 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 31st July 2020 (week 30) was 273, 34 less than in week 29 and nine less than the 5-year average of 282.
Over the last 18 weeks in total, 1,031 ‘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 31st July totalling 772.
COVID-19 was mentioned on the death certificate of one (0.4%) of the 273 deaths registered in week 30.
This is six fewer than last week (week 29) and brings the total number of COVID-19 related deaths registered in the calendar year 2020 to 854.
Persons aged 75 and over accounted for two-thirds (65.2%) of all deaths and 80.1% of COVID‑19 related deaths registered this calendar year up to 31st July.
For COVID-19 related deaths, those with an address in Belfast Local Government District (LGD) accounted for 245 (28.7%) of the 854 deaths registered in the calendar year to 31st July.
