NI Covid-19 death-toll more than 1,500 reports NISRA

Latest figures published today show that 80 deaths involving Covid-19 occurred in the last week from 28th November to 4th December, and the total Covid-19 related deaths figure has now reached 1,501.

Of this total, 884 (58.9%) deaths took place in hospital, 503 (33.5%) in care homes, nine (0.6%) in hospices and 105 (7.0%) at residential addresses or other locations. The 512 deaths which occurred in care homes and hospices involved 124 separate establishments.

The comparative number of deaths reported daily by the Department of Health to 4th December was 1,039. 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 630 deaths of care home residents involving Covid-19 in the year to date to 4th December 2020, 79.8% (503) occurred in a care home, with the remaining 127 occurring in hospital. On this basis, deaths of care home residents account for 42.0% 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 4th December 2020 (week 48) was 387, 39 more than in week 47 and 65 more than the 5-year average of 322. Over the last 36 weeks in total, 1,854 ‘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 4th December totalling 1,595.

Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate of 98 (25.3%) of the 387 deaths registered in week 48. The total number of Covid-19 related deaths registered in the calendar year up to 4th December has reached 1,480.

Persons aged 75 and over accounted for two-thirds (65.1%) of all deaths and 77.4% of Covid‑19 related deaths registered this calendar year up to 4th December.

For Covid-19 related deaths, those with an address in Belfast Local Government District (LGD) accounted for 370 (25.0%) of the 1,480 deaths registered in the calendar year to 4th December.