Coronavirus NI: Death-toll now more than 800 - 348 deaths occurred in 78 different care homes and hospices across NI

The most recent weekly NISRA report was published on Friday and it reveals an additional 20 deaths involving COVID-19 that had not been recorded by the Department of Health (DoH) occurred in the week June 6 to June 12, bringing the total number of COVID-19 related deaths to 802.

Of this total, 407 (50.7%) took place in hospital, 340 (42.3%) in care homes, eight (1.0%) in hospices and 47 (5.9%) at residential addresses or other locations. The 348 deaths which occurred in care homes and hospices involved 78 separate establishments.

The comparative number of deaths reported daily by the DoH to June 12 was 540. 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 412 deaths of care home residents involving COVID-19 in the year to date to June 12 2020, 82.5% (340) occurred in a care home, with the remaining 72 occurring in hospital. On this basis, deaths of care home residents account for 51.4% 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 June 12, 2020 (week 23) was 292, 12 fewer than in week 22 and one less than the five-year average of 293. Over the last 11 weeks in total, 972 ‘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 June 12 totalling 713.

COVID-19 was mentioned on the death certificate for 21 (7.2%) of the 292 deaths registered in week 23. This is the first weekly increase in the number of registered COVID-19 related deaths (one more than in week 22) in seven weeks, bringing the total number of COVID-19 related deaths registered in the calendar year 2020 to 795.

Persons aged 75 and over accounted for two-thirds (66.4%) of all deaths and 79.6% of COVID‑19 related deaths registered this calendar year up to June 12.

For COVID-19 related deaths, those with an address in Belfast Local Government District (LGD) accounted for 234 (29.4%) of the 795 deaths registered in the calendar year to June 12.

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