Latest figures published today by NISRA show that 24 deaths involving Covid-19 occurred in Northern Ireland in Week 16 ending April 22, 2022.

The total number of Covid-19 related deaths that occurred up to April 22, 2022 has now reached 4,553.

Of these, 3,165 took place in hospital, 974 in care homes and 414 at residential addresses, hospices or other locations.

The comparative number of deaths reported daily by the Department of Health (DoH) to April 22, 2022 was 3,407. 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.

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Further analysis, which includes deaths of care home residents by place of death, shows that there was a total of 1,277 deaths of care home residents involving Covid-19 (including deaths that took place in a hospice, hospital, care home or elsewhere) occurring between March 18, 2020 and April 22, 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 April 22, 2022 (week 16, 2022) was 260, 75 less than in week 15 of 2022 and 55 less than the 5-year average (2017-2021) of 315.

Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate of 22 of the 260 deaths registered in week 16, 2 more than the previous week (20). The total number of Covid-19 related deaths registered since the start of the pandemic is 4,536 up to April 22, 2022.

Persons aged 75 and over accounted for 73.8 per cent of the 4,536 Covid‑19 related deaths registered between March 19, 2020 and April 22, 2022.

Over the period of the pandemic, Fermanagh and Omagh has recorded 187 registered Covid-19 related deaths., an increase of three from the previous week's report.