For the tenth week, the number of deaths involving Covid-19 has fallen with the latest figure published today (Friday) by Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) showing that three deaths occurred in the last week up to July 10, bringing the total number of Covid-19 related deaths to 844.

For Covid-19 related deaths, those with an address in Fermanagh and Omagh Local Government District (LGD) accounted for 17 of the 844 deaths registered in the calendar year to July 10, an increase of one from the previous weeks.

Of this total, 440 (52.1 per cent) took place in hospital, 347 (41.1 per cent) in care homes, eight (0.9 per cent) in hospices and 49 (5.8 per cent) at residential addresses or other locations. The 355 deaths which occurred in care homes and hospices involved 81 separate establishments.

The comparative number of deaths reported daily by the Department of Health to July 10 was 555. These figures 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. They may or may not have previously tested positive for the virus.

Further analysis, which includes deaths of care home residents in hospital, shows that of the 426 deaths of care home residents involving Covid-19 in the year to date to July 10, 81.5 per cent (347) occurred in a care home, with the remaining 79 occurring in hospital. On this basis, deaths of care home residents account for 50.5 per cent of all Covid-19 related deaths; however, no assumptions can be made in relation to where or when the deceased contracted the disease. 

Separate analyses 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 July 10 (week 27) was 275, 14 less than in week 26 and 20 more than the 5-year average of 255. Over the last 15 weeks in total, 1,021 ‘excess deaths’ (deaths above the average for the corresponding period in previous years) have been registered in Northern Ireland, with the number of ‘excess deaths’ in the year to date to July 10 totalling 762.

Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate for nine (3.3 per cent) of the 275 deaths registered in week 27.  This is two fewer than last week (week 26) and brings the total number of Covid-19 related deaths registered in the calendar year 2020 to 844.

Persons aged 75 and over accounted for two-thirds (65.6 per cent) of all deaths and 79.9 per cent of Covid‑19 related deaths registered this calendar year up to July 10.