Eight more coronavirus-linked deaths recorded in latest weekly analysis

Eight coronavirus-linked deaths occurred in Northern Ireland in the latest week subjected to statistical analysis.

The fatalities in the period September 5 to September 11 took the total recorded by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) to 887.

The comparative total number of deaths reported daily by the Department of Health stood at 570 on September 11.

The NISRA data gives a fuller picture of Covid-19 fatalities than the figures released on a daily basis by the department. 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 in which Covid-19 is recorded as a factor by a medical professional, regardless of where the fatality occurred. The person may or may not have tested positive for the virus.

Of the 887 deaths recorded by NISRA, 473 (53.3%) took place in hospital, 352 (39.7%) in care homes, eight (0.9%) in hospices and 54 (5.9%) at residential addresses or other locations. The 360 deaths which occurred in care homes and hospices involved 81 separate establishments.

In the week September 5 to September 11, seven coronavirus-linked deaths were officially registered in Northern Ireland - some of which might have occurred prior to that week as fatalities can take a number of days to register. The number of registrations was four more than the previous week.