Coronavirus NI: 27 additional deaths identified in one week - takes NISRA death-toll to 942

The total Covid-19 related deaths figure stands at 942.

Of this total, 519 (55.1%) took place in hospital, 357 (37.9%) in care homes, eight (0.8%) in hospices and 58 (6.2%) at residential addresses or other locations. The 365 deaths which occurred in care homes and hospices involved 86 separate establishments.

The comparative number of deaths reported daily by the Department of Health to October 16 was 610. 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 441 deaths of care home residents involving Covid-19 in the year to date to October 16, 2020, 81.0% (357) occurred in a care home, with the remaining 84 occurring in hospital. On this basis, deaths of care home residents account for 46.8% 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 October 16, 2020 (week 41) was 278, 70 less than in week 40 and 17 less than the 5-year average of 295. The total in week 41 was impacted by the registration system being unavailable on Friday October 16 due to a platform upgrade.

Over the last 29 weeks in total, 1,288 ‘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 October 16 totalling 1,029.

Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate of seventeen (6.1%) of the 278 deaths registered in week 41. This is six more than last week (week 40) and brings the total number of Covid-19 related deaths registered in the calendar year up to October 16 to 930.

Persons aged 75 and over accounted for two-thirds (64.7%) of all deaths and 79.0% of Covid‑19 related deaths registered this calendar year up to October 16.

For Covid-19 related deaths, those with an address in Belfast Local Government District (LGD) accounted for 264 (28.4%) of the 930 deaths registered in the calendar year to October 16.