5 new deaths from COVID-19 in Northern Ireland

by PA and Q Radio News.

5 new deaths from COVID-19 have been announced in Northern Ireland by the Department of Health.

2 of these deaths happened since yesterday.

It brings the total number of deaths here to 427.

Total confirmed cases rose to 4,022, up 38 on the previous day.

On Friday, the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (Nisra) show that 516 deaths involving Covid-19 have been recorded on death certificates by May 1.

The figures also show the number of people who died from Covid-19 outside hospital was almost twice the number of those who died in hospital.

Of the 115 deaths from April 25 to May 1, 39 occurred in hospital, 71 in care homes, one in a hospice and four at home.

The department's figures are based on patients having previously tested positive for the virus whereas Nisra figures are based on the information entered on death certificates, filled out by medical professionals.

They may or may not have previously tested positive for the virus.

That represents an increase of 113 on the 383 deaths reported by the Northern Ireland Public Health Agency (PHA) on that day.

The Nisra figures indicated that 49% of deaths were in hospitals, 45% in care homes, 5.2% at home and 0.8% at hospices.

The 236 deaths in care homes and hospices involved 66 separate establishments.