The Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency's (NISRA) latest figures have reported 37 coronavirus related deaths in the last week up until October 23.

The total number of Covid-19 related deaths now stands at 979.

One of those deaths was reported in Fermanagh and Omagh District Council area, bringing the total number of deaths in the Council area to 18. The district remains the least affected area in Northern Ireland.

Impartial Reporter:

The statistics show 547 (55.9 per cent) of deaths took place in hospital, 363 (37.1 per cent) in care homes, eight (0.8 per cent) in hospices and 61 (6.2 per cent) at residential addresses or other locations. The 371 deaths which occurred in care homes and hospices involved 88 separate establishments.

The comparative number of deaths reported daily by the Department of Health to October 23 was 643. 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 451 deaths of care home residents involving Covid-19 in the year to date to October 23 2020, 81 per cent (363) occurred in a care home, with the remaining 88 occurring in hospital. On this basis, deaths of care home residents account for 46.1 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 October 23, 2020 (week 42) was 391, 113 more than in week 41 and 105 more than the 5-year average of 286. Over the last 30 weeks in total, 1,393 ‘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 October 23 totalling 1,134.

Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate of forty-two (10.7 per cent) of the 391 deaths registered in week 42.  This is twenty-five more than last week (week 41) and brings the total number of Covid-19 related deaths registered in the calendar year up to October 23 to 972.

Persons aged 75 and over accounted for two-thirds (64.8 per cent) of all deaths and 78.5 per cent of Covid‑19 related deaths registered this calendar year up to October 23.