Northern Ireland: One further death from Covid-19 reported

More than 1,000 deaths of care-home residents in North linked to Covid-19

The Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency data provides a broader picture of the impact of Covid-19 than the death toll reported by Stormont’s Department of Health.File photograph: Brian Lawless/PA Wire
The Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency data provides a broader picture of the impact of Covid-19 than the death toll reported by Stormont’s Department of Health.File photograph: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

One further person has died in Northern Ireland having previously tested positive for Covid-19, Stormont's Department of Health has said.

Earlier on Friday, it was reported that more than 1,000 care-home residents have died with Covid-19 in the North.

The Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency reported that up to March 26th, the deaths of 1,006 care home residents were linked to Covid-19.

The figure included the 770 deaths that occurred in care homes and further 236 care home residents who died in hospital having been moved there for treatment.

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Care home residents make up about 35 per cent of deaths linked to Covid-19 in Northern Ireland, according to Nisra.

The 13 fatalities that occurred in the week March 20th-26th took the total number of coronavirus-related deaths recorded by Nisra to 2,908.

The Nisra data provides a broader picture of the impact of Covid-19 than the death toll reported by Stormont’s Department of Health.

The department’s statistics focus primarily on hospital deaths and only include people who have tested positive for the virus.

Nisra obtains its data from death certificates on which Covid-19 is recorded as a factor by a medical professional, regardless of where the death took place or whether the patient tested positive.

The statistics agency reports its Covid-19 data with a week lag.

The department’s death toll stood at 2,108 on March 26th.

Of the 2,908 deaths recorded by Nisra by March 26th, 1,910 (66 per cent) occurred in hospitals, 770 (27 per cent) in care homes, 14 (0.5 per cent) in hospices and 214 (7 per cent) at residential addresses or other locations.

In the week of March 20th-26th, 19 coronavirus-linked deaths were officially registered in Northern Ireland, some of which occurred before that week as deaths can take a number of days to register. – PA