Rise in deaths linked to coronavirus recorded by Northern Ireland Statistics Agency

A further 35 deaths were noted by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (Nisra) in the week from October 9 to October 15, up from 30 the previous week.

They take the total number of coronavirus-linked deaths recorded by Nisra to 3,554, higher than the 2,614 reported by the Department of Health to the same date.

The Nisra figure is drawn from different data sources and is always higher than the department’s total, as it provides a broader picture of the impact of Covid-19.

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 data with a week lag.

The Nisra figure includes 2,423 deaths in hospital, 846 in care homes, 14 in hospices and 271 at residential addresses or other locations.

Nisra reported that up to October 15, the deaths of 1,110 care home residents were linked to Covid-19, 31.2% of all coronavirus-related deaths.

Separate analysis, based on the date of death registration, shows the provisional number of total deaths from all causes registered in Northern Ireland in the week ending October 15 was 337 – seven more than in the previous week and 47 more than the five-year average (2016-2020) of 290.

People aged 75 and over accounted for 74.5% of the Covid-related deaths registered between March 19 2020 and October 15 2021.

Across the pandemic, the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon and Mid-Ulster council areas have had higher proportions of Covid-19 related deaths (12.3% and 8.3% respectively) compared with their share of all deaths in Northern Ireland (10.3% and 6.7% respectively), according to Nisra.

Meanwhile Ards and North Down and Fermanagh and Omagh council areas have had relatively low shares of registered Covid-19 related deaths (2.7 and 2.1 percentage points lower respectively than their share of all deaths).