Northern Ireland's Covid-19 death toll lowest since October

The 10 fatalities in the week ending on April 2 is the lowest total since the week ending October 9.

It brings the total recorded by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (Nisra) to 2,919.

The data provides a broader picture of the impact of Covid-19 than the death toll reported by Stormont’s Department of Health.

The department’s statistics focus primarily on hospital deaths and only include people who have tested positive for the virus.

Nisra obtains its data from death certificates on which Covid-19 is recorded as a factor by a medical professional, regardless of where the death took place or whether the patient tested positive.

The statistics agency reports its Covid-19 data with a week lag.

The department’s death toll was 2,116 on April 2.

Of the 2,919 Covid-19 related deaths recorded by Nisra, 1,920 (65.8%) took place in hospital, 770 (26.4%) in care homes, 14 (0.5%) in hospices and 215 (7.4%) at residential addresses or other locations.

Nisra reported that up to April 2, the deaths of 1,006 care home residents were linked to Covid-19.

The figure included 770 in care homes and 236 residents who died in hospital having been moved there for treatment.

Care home residents make up about 35% of deaths linked to Covid-19 in Northern Ireland, according to Nisra.

Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate of 12 (4.2%) of the 288 deaths registered in the week ending April 2, a decrease of seven from the previous week.

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