The number of weekly Covid-19 deaths has dropped to three – the lowest seven day total since the first week of the outbreak in Northern Ireland.
Latest figures published today by NISRA show that total of COVID-19 related deaths now stands at 844.
Of this total, 440 (52.1%) took place in hospital, 347 (41.1%) in care homes, eight (0.9%) in hospices and 49 (5.8%) at residential addresses or other locations. The 355 deaths which occurred in care homes and hospices involved 81 separate establishments.
The comparative number of deaths reported daily by the Department of Health to 10th July was 555. 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 426 deaths of care home residents involving COVID-19 in the year to date to 10th July 2020, 81.5% (347) occurred in a care home, with the remaining 79 occurring in hospital. On this basis, deaths of care home residents account for 50.5% 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 10th July 2020 (week 27) was 275, 14 less than in week 26 and 20 more than the 5-year average of 255. Over the last 15 weeks in total, 1,021 ‘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 10th July totalling 762.
COVID-19 was mentioned on the death certificate for nine (3.3%) of the 275 deaths registered in week 27. This is two fewer than last week (week 26) and brings the total number of COVID-19 related deaths registered in the calendar year 2020 to 844.
Persons aged 75 and over accounted for two-thirds (65.6%) of all deaths and 79.9% of COVID‑19 related deaths registered this calendar year up to 10th July.
For COVID-19 related deaths, those with an address in Belfast Local Government District (LGD) accounted for 242 (28.7%) of the 844 deaths registered in the calendar year to 10th July.
