Latest figures published today by NISRA show that 70 deaths involving Covid-19 occurred in the last week, from December 12-18, and the total Covid-19 related deaths figure has now reached 1,674.

Three of those deaths occurred in the Fermanagh and Omagh District Council area, bringing the total number to 44, making it the least affected region in Northern Ireland.

Of this total, 1,002 (59.9 per cent) deaths took place in hospital, 553 (33 per cent) in care homes, nine (0.5 per cent) in hospices and 110 (6.6 per cent) at residential addresses or other locations. The 562 deaths which occurred in care homes and hospices involved 130 separate establishments.

The comparative number of deaths reported daily by the Department of Health to December 18 was 1,180. 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 700 deaths of care home residents involving Covid-19 in the year to date to December 18, 2020, 79 per cent (553) occurred in a care home, with the remaining 147 occurring in hospital. On this basis, deaths of care home residents account for 41.8 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 December 18, 2020 (week 50) was 350, 16 less than in week 49 and 6 more than the 5-year average of 344. Over the last 38 weeks in total, 1,905 ‘excess deaths’ (deaths above the average for the corresponding period in previous years) have been registered in Northern Ireland, with the number of ‘excess deaths’ in the year to date to 18th December totalling 1,646.

Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate of 82 (23.4 per cent) of the 350 deaths registered in week 50. The total number of Covid-19 related deaths registered in the calendar year up to December 18 has reached 1,649.

Persons aged 75 and over accounted for two-thirds (65.3 per cent) of all deaths and 77.7 per cent of Covid‑19 related deaths registered this calendar year up to December 18.