Latest figures published today by NISRA show that 78 deaths involving Covid-19 occurred in the last week, from October 31 to November 6 and the total Covid-19 related deaths figure has now reached 1,141.

It is the fifth consecutive week that Covid-19 realted deaths have risen in Northern Ireland.

Out of the 78 deaths, five of those were reported in the Fermanagh and Omagh District Council area, bringing the total to 28. However, it still remains the least affected area in Northern Ireland.

Of this total, 665 (58.3 per cent) deaths took place in hospital, 394 (34.5 per cent) in care homes, nine (0.8 per cent) in hospices and 73 (6.4 per cent) at residential addresses or other locations. The 403 deaths which occurred in care homes and hospices involved 97 separate establishments.

The week ending November 6 saw 55 Covid-19 related hospital deaths, three less than the previous week which was the largest number of Covid-19 related hospital deaths (58) occurring in any week since the start of the pandemic. Seventeen Covid-19 related deaths occurred in a care home during the week ending November 6, five more than the previous week (12) and compares to totals last seen in May 2020.

The comparative number of deaths reported daily by the Department of Health to November 6 was 772. 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 496 deaths of care home residents involving Covid-19 in the year to date to November 6, 2020, 79.4 per cent (394) occurred in a care home, with the remaining 102 occurring in hospital. On this basis, deaths of care home residents account for 43.5 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 November 6, 2020 (week 44) was 386, 18 more than in week 43 and 90 more than the five-year average of 296. Over the last 32 weeks in total, 1,568 ‘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 6th November totalling 1,309.

Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate of 82 (21.2 per cent) of the 386 deaths registered in week 44. This is the fifth consecutive weekly increase in registered Covid-19 related deaths and is similar to numbers last reported in early May 2020. The total number of Covid-19 related deaths registered in the calendar year up to November 6 has reached 1,105.

Persons aged 75 and over accounted for two-thirds (64.9 per cent) of all deaths and 78 per cent of Covid‑19 related deaths registered this calendar year up to November 6.