NI Covid death-toll surges to 2,691 after 68 deaths recorded in one week

Of the 2,691 Covid-19 related deaths, 1,736 (64.5%) took place in hospital, 747 (27.8%) in care homes, 13 (0.5%) in hospices and 195 (7.2%) at residential addresses or other locations.

The 760 deaths which occurred in care homes and hospices involved 175 separate establishments.

The comparative number of deaths reported daily by the Department of Health to February 12, 2021 was 1,985.

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 973 deaths of care home residents involving Covid-19 which occurred between March 18, 2020 and February 12, 2021, 76.8% (747) occurred in a care home, with the remaining 226 occurring in hospital.

On this basis, deaths of care home residents account for 36.2% 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 February 12, 2021 (week 6, 2021) was 382, 80 less than week five, and 50 more than the five-year average (2016-2020) of 332.

Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate of 99 (25.9%) of the 382 deaths registered in week 6, 2021, a fall from the previous week’s 126 Covid-19 related deaths and the third consecutive fall in the registration based series since the recent peak of 182 Covid-19 related deaths registered in the week ending January 22.

The total number of Covid-19 related deaths registered to February 12, 2021 has now reached 2,673.

Persons aged 75 and over accounted for 76.9% of the 2,673 Covid‑19 related deaths registered between March 19, 2020 and February 12, 2021.

Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon, Antrim and Newtownabbey, and Mid-Ulster all have higher proportions of all Covid-19 related deaths (11.6%, 9.7% and 7.7% respectively) compared with their share of all deaths in Northern Ireland (10.3%, 8.3% and 6.4% respectively).

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