Official figures record a drop in the number of Covid - 19 deaths in Northern Ireland

By Q Radio news

Official figures reveal that deaths from Covid-19 dropped over the past week according to Nisra.

124 deaths occurred in Northern Ireland up until the end of last week.  

The Northern Ireland Statistics and Research agency says the total number of  virus related deaths that occurred up to 29th of January has now reached 2,495.

Figures from the Department of Health for the same period put the figure at 1,837 deaths.

The total number of Covid-19 related deaths that occurred up to 29th January 2021 has now reached 2,495.

Of the 2,495 Covid-19 related deaths, 1,591 (63.8%) took place in hospital, 712 (28.5%) in care homes, 13 (0.5%) in hospices and 179 (7.2%) at residential addresses or other locations.

Official figures reveal that deaths from Covid-19 show a drop over the past week according to Nisra.
124 deaths occurred in Northern Ireland up until the end of last week compared to 150 the previous week. pic.twitter.com/DDuL1zSUA8

— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) February 5, 2021

The 725 deaths which occurred in care homes and hospices involved 170 separate establishments.

The comparative number of deaths reported daily by the Department of Health to 29th January 2021 was 1,837.

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 932 deaths of care home residents involving Covid-19 which occurred between 18th March 2020 and 29th January 2021, 76.4% (712) occurred in a care home, with the remaining 220 occurring in hospital.

On this basis, deaths of care home residents account for 37.4% 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 29th January 2021 (week 4, 2021) was 437, 37 less than week 3, and 78 more than the 5-year average (2016-2020) of 359.

Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate of 137 (31.4%) of the 437 deaths registered in week 4 2021, a fall from the previous week’s pandemic record high of 182 Covid-19 related deaths.  

The total number of Covid-19 related deaths registered to 29th January 2021 has now reached 2,448.

Persons aged 75 and over accounted for 77.4% of the 2,448 Covid-19 related deaths registered between 19th March 2020 and 29th January 2021, while Antrim & Newtownabbey Local Government District had the highest proportion of Covid-19 related deaths as a proportion of the total deaths registered there over the period 19th March – 29th January 2021 (18.6%).