NI Covid-19 death-toll surges to 1,333 reports NISRA

Latest figures published by NISRA show that 100 deaths involving Covid-19 occurred in the last week from November 14 to 20, and the total Covid-19 related deaths figure has now reached 1,333.

Of this total, 789 (59.2%) deaths took place in hospital, 447 (33.5%) in care homes, nine (0.7%) in hospices and 88 (6.6%) at residential addresses or other locations.

The 456 deaths which occurred in care homes and hospices involved 106 separate establishments. The 69 Covid-19 deaths occurring in hospital this week represents the largest weekly number in this setting since the start of the pandemic in March 2020.

The comparative number of deaths reported daily by the Department of Health to November 20 was 927.

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 560 deaths of care home residents involving Covid-19 in the year to date to November 20 2020, 79.8% (447) occurred in a care home, with the remaining 113 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 November 20, 2020 (week 46) was 396, 10 less than in week 45 and 77 more than the 5-year average of 319.

Over the last 34 weeks in total, 1,753 ‘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 20th November totalling 1,494.

Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate of 100 (25.3%) of the 396 deaths registered in week 46. This is the seventh consecutive weekly increase in registered Covid-19 related deaths and is similar to numbers last reported in mid-April/early May 2020.

The total number of Covid-19 related deaths registered in the calendar year up to November 20 has reached 1,301.

Persons aged 75 and over accounted for two-thirds (65.1%) of all deaths and 77.9% of Covid‑19 related deaths registered this calendar year up to November 20.

For Covid-19 related deaths, those with an address in Belfast Local Government District (LGD) accounted for 334 (25.7%) of the 1,301 deaths registered in the calendar year to November 20.