Latest figures published today by NISRA show that 36 deaths involving Covid-19 occurred in Week Three ending January 21, 2022. The total number of Covid-19 related deaths that occurred up to January 21, 2022 has now reached 4,142.

Of these, 2,896 took place in hospital, 881 in care homes, 16 in hospices and 349 at residential addresses or other locations.

The comparative number of deaths reported daily by the Department of Health (DoH) to January 21, 2022 was 3,065. The DoH count is 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 by place of death, shows that there was a total of 1,158 deaths of care home residents involving Covid-19 (including deaths that took place somewhere other than the care home) occurring between March 18, 2020 and January 21, 2022. This accounts for 28 per cent of all Covid-19 related deaths. However, no assumptions can be made in relation to where the deceased contracted the disease.

Separate analysis, 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 January21, 2022 (week 3, 2022) was 317, 128 less than in week 2 of 2022 and 79 less than the 5-year average (2017-2021) of 396.

Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate of 43 of the 317 deaths registered in week three, the same as the previous week. The total number of Covid-19 related deaths registered since the start of the pandemic is 4,128 up to January 21, 2022.

Persons aged 75 and over accounted for 73.2 per cent of the 4,128 Covid‑19 related deaths registered between March 19, 2020 and January 21, 2022.

Over the period of the pandemic, Fermanagh and Omagh District Council area has relatively registered Covid-19 related deaths with 166, an increase of one from last week's data.