Latest figures published today by NISRA show that 38 deaths involving Covid-19 occurred in Week 8 ending February 25, 2022.

The total number of Covid-19 related deaths that occurred up to February 25, has now reached 4,318. Of these, 3,007 took place in hospital, 926 in care homes and 385 at residential addresses, hospices or other locations.

Fermanagh and Omagh has the lowest number of registered Covid-19 related deaths with 171 since the beginning of the pandemic. There has been none recorded in the last week. 

The comparative number of deaths reported daily by the Department of Health (DoH) to February 25, 2022 was 3,205. 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 1,216 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 February 25, 2022. This accounts for 28.2 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 February 25, 2022 (week 8, 2022) was 327, eight more than in week 7 of 2022 and eight fewer than the 5-year average (2017-2021) of 335.

Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate of 33 (10.1 per cent) of the 327 deaths registered in week 8, two more than the previous week (31). The total number of Covid-19 related deaths registered since the start of the pandemic is 4,300 up to February 25, 2022.

Persons aged 75 and over accounted for 73.3 per cent of the 4,300 Covid‑19 related deaths registered between March 19, 2020 and February 25, 2022.