Covid-19 related deaths in Northern Ireland have risen to 896 up until September 18 according to the latest figures published by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA).

Of this total, 479 (53.5 per cent) took place in hospital, 355 (39.6 per cent) in care homes, eight (0.9 per cent) in hospices and 54 (6 per cent) at residential addresses or other locations. The 363 deaths which occurred in care homes and hospices involved 84 separate establishments.

The comparative number of deaths reported daily by the Department of Health to  September 18 was 575. 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 436 deaths of care home residents involving Covid-19 in the year to date to September 18 2020, 81.4 per cent (355) occurred in a care home, with the remaining 81 occurring in hospital. On this basis, deaths of care home residents account for 48.7 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 18 2020 (week 37) was 322, 26 more than in week 36 and 40 more than the 5-year average of 282. Over the last 25 weeks in total, 1,181 ‘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 18 totalling 922.

Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate of eight (2.5 per cent) of the 322 deaths registered in week 37.  This is one more than last week (week 36) and brings the total number of Covid-19 related deaths registered in the calendar year up to September 18 to 891.

Persons aged 75 and over accounted for two-thirds (64.6 per cent) of all deaths and 79.1 per cent of Covid‑19 related deaths registered this calendar year up to September 18.

For Covid-19 related deaths, those with an address in Fermanagh and Omagh Local Government District (LGD) accounted for 17 of the 891 deaths registered in the calendar year to September 18.