Coronavirus-linked deaths pass 900 in Northern Ireland

By David Young, PA

The number of coronavirus-linked deaths in Northern Ireland has passed 900, statistics indicate.

The latest analysis by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (Nisra) put the death toll at 901 at the end of last week.

The Department of Health has reported four further fatalities since then.

Nisra, which reports with a week lag, said five Covid-19 linked deaths occurred in the week September 19 to September 25.

The comparative total number of deaths reported daily by the Department of Health stood at 578 on September 25.

The Nisra data gives a fuller picture of Covid-19 fatalities than the figures released on a daily basis by the department.

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 in which Covid-19 is recorded as a factor by a medical professional, regardless of where the fatality occurred.

The person may or may not have tested positive for the virus.

Of the 901 deaths recorded by Nisra by September 25, 483 (53.6%) occurred in hospital, 356 (39.5%) in care homes, eight (0.9%) in hospices and 54 (6%) at residential addresses or other locations.

The 364 deaths which occurred in care homes and hospices involved 85 separate establishments.

Nisra also provides an analysis around the total number of care home residents who have died, whether in their home or in hospital, having been transferred for treatment.

Up to September 25, the deaths of 437 care home residents were linked to coronavirus, 81 of which occurred in hospital.

Care home residents make up just under 50% of all deaths linked to Covid-19 in Northern Ireland.

In the week September 19 to September 25, nine coronavirus-linked deaths were officially registered in Northern Ireland, some of which might have occurred prior to that week as fatalities can take a number of days to register.

The number of registrations was up one on the previous week.