Coronavirus: NI care home death figures ‘published on Friday’

Pressure has been mounting across the UK for greater clarity on the number of people dying due to the virus in care homes.

In Northern Ireland, daily updates on the number of people dying because of coronavirus are being published by the Public Health Agency but these figures are almost entirely made up of deaths in hospital settings.

But on Tuesday night the Stormont Health Minister Robin Swann announced that the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency would now begin including a breakdown of Covid-19 related deaths in care homes and its weekly bulletin “as soon as possible”.

Today the minister confirmed to a Stormont committee that care home deaths will be included “from this week”. The next bulletin is due to be published on Friday.

Speaking at the Stormont health committee, Mr Swann said: “The process for registering deaths in the community takes a number of days and involves a doctor completing a death certificate and a number of additional steps undertaken by the General Register Office and the Northern Ireland Statistical and Research Agency.

“The Northern Ireland Statistical and Research Agency does publish a weekly bulletin on all deaths registered in Northern Ireland; and from this week the bulletin will provide information on all Covid-19-related deaths registered in Northern Ireland – across both hospital and community settings.”

Mr Swann also stressed that many care home deaths are already included, since most residents with coronavirus complications are taken to hospital.

Staff and residents in care homes are also being offered coronavirus tests if they are displaying symptoms, Mr Swann has insisted.

The minister sought to clarify the position on testing in homes at Stormont yesterday, saying: “Where care home residents and/or staff are symptomatic they are being tested.”

He added: “And testing is being increased.”