NISRA figures show that there were 11 Covid-19 related deaths last week

By Q Radio News

The latest figures published today by the Northern Ireland Research and Statistics Agency show that there were 11 Covid-19 related deaths last week.

It is the highest figure since the week ending the 9th of April and it takes the total number of Covid-19 related deaths recorded by the agency up to to 3,006. 

Of these, 1,991 (66.2%) took place in hospital, 780 (25.9%) in care homes, 14 (0.5%) in hospices and 221 (7.4%) at residential addresses or other locations.

Latest figures published today by NISRA show that 11 deaths involving Covid-19 occurred in the week 17th July to 23rd July 2021 (the highest since the week ending 9th April 2021). pic.twitter.com/T8c2W6TTjy

— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) July 30, 2021

The comparative number of deaths reported daily by the Department of Health (DoH) to 23rd July 2021 was 2,170.

The DoH deaths 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. 

Further analysis, which includes deaths of care home residents in hospital, shows that of the 1,016 deaths of care home residents involving Covid-19 which occurred between 18th March 2020 and 23rd July 2021, 76.8% (780) occurred in a care home, with the remaining 236 occurring in hospital.

None of these deaths occurred in the latest week. On this basis, deaths of care home residents account for 33.8% of all Covid-19 related deaths; however, no assumptions can be made in relation to where or when the deceased contracted the disease.

Separate analysis, 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 23rd July 2021 (week 29, 2021) was 306, 75 more than in week 28 and 21 more than the 5-year average (2016-2020) of 285.

Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate of nine (2.9%) of the 306 deaths registered in week 29, an increase of six from the previous week. The total number of Covid-19 related deaths registered to 23rd July 2021 has now reached 2,997.

Persons aged 75 and over accounted for 75.9% of the 2,997 Covid‑19 related deaths registered between 19th March 2020 and 23rd July 2021.

Over the period of the pandemic, Antrim & Newtownabbey, Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon and Mid-Ulster Local Government Districts have had higher proportions of Covid-19 related deaths (9.6%, 12.1% and 8.4% respectively) compared with their share of all deaths in Northern Ireland (7.9%, 10.3% and 6.5% respectively).

Conversely, Ards & North Down and Fermanagh & Omagh both have relatively low shares of registered Covid-19 related deaths when compared to the proportion of Northern Ireland deaths registered in those areas (2.7 and 2.5 percentage points lower respectively than their share of all deaths).