According to the Northern Ireland Statistic and Research Agency (NISRA) there were eight deaths linked to Covid-19 in the last week, up to September 11. The total Covid-19 related deaths figure stands at 887.

Of this total, 473 (53.3 per cent) took place in hospital, 352 (39.7 per cent) in care homes, eight (0.9 per cent) in hospices and 54 (6.1 per cent) at residential addresses or other locations. The 360 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 September 11 was 570. 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 433 deaths of care home residents involving Covid-19 in the year to date to September 11 2020, 81.3 per cent (352) occurred in a care home, with the remaining 81 occurring in hospital. On this basis, deaths of care home residents account for 48.8 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 September 11 2020 (week 36) was 296, 62 less than in week 35 and 20 more than the 5-year average of 276. Over the last 24 weeks in total, 1,141 ‘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 September 11 totalling 882.

Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate of seven (2.4 per cent) of the 296 deaths registered in week 36. This is four more than last week (week 35) and brings the total number of Covid-19 related deaths registered in the calendar year up to September 11 to 883.

Persons aged 75 and over accounted for two-thirds (64.9 per cent) of all deaths and 79.3 per cent of Covid‑19 related deaths registered this calendar year up to September 11.

For Covid-19 related deaths, those with an address in Fermanagh and Omagh Local Government District (LGD) accounted for 17 of the 883 deaths registered in the calendar year to September 11.