Latest figures published today by NISRA show that 13 deaths involving Covid-19 occurred in the week March 20-26, 2021.

The total number of Covid-19 related deaths that occurred up to March 26, 2021 has now reached 2,908. Of the 2,908 Covid-19 related deaths, 1,910 (65.7 per cent) took place in hospital, 770 (26.5 per cent) in care homes, 14 (0.5 per cent) in hospices and 214 (7.4 per cent) at residential addresses or other locations.

The comparative number of deaths reported daily by the Department of Health to March 26, 2021 was 2,108. 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 and therefore include both confirmed and suspected cases, and where Covid-19 was either a contributor to or the main cause of death.

Further analysis, which includes deaths of care home residents in hospital, shows that of the 1,006 deaths of care home residents involving Covid-19 which occurred between March 18, 2020 and March 26, 2021, 770 occurred in a care home, with the remaining 236 occurring in hospital. On this basis, deaths of care home residents account for 34.6 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 March 26, 2021 (week 12, 2021) was 307, 54 more than in week 11, and 8 less than the 5-year average (2016-2020) of 315.

Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate of 19 of the 307 deaths registered in week 12, an increase of 4 from the previous week’s 15 Covid-19 related deaths. While this is the first rise in the registration based series following a decline over eight consecutive weeks, the closure of registration offices on March 17 due to the public holiday may have impacted figures in both weeks 11 and 12. The total number of Covid-19 related deaths registered to March 26, 2021 has now reached 2,905.

Persons aged 75 and over accounted for 76.4% of the 2,905 Covid‑19 related deaths registered between 19th March 2020 and 26th March 2021.

Over the period of the pandemic, Fermanagh and Omagh has had the lowest number of  Covid-19 related deaths registered, with 101.