NISRA coronavirus-related death toll rises to 1,410
There were 68 deaths involving Covid-19 in Northern Ireland in the week ending Friday 27 November and the death toll has now reached 1,410, according to the latest Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) figures.
Of this total, 832 (59.0%) deaths took place in hospital, 474 (33.6%) in care homes, nine (0.6%) in hospices and 95 (6.7%) at residential addresses or other locations.
The 483 deaths which occurred in care homes and hospices involved 116 separate establishments.
The comparative number of deaths reported daily by the Department of Health on the same date was 981.
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 594 deaths of care home residents involving Covid-19 in the year to date to 27th November 2020, 79.8% (474) occurred in a care home, with the remaining 120 occurring in hospital.
On this basis, deaths of care home residents account for 42.1% of all Covid-19 related deaths; however, no assumptions can be made in relation to where or when the deceased contracted the disease. Over the last 35 weeks in total, 1,790 ‘excess deaths’ - that is, 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 27th November totalling 1,531. Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate of 81 (23.3%) of the 348 deaths registered in week 47. This is first fall in registered Covid-19 related deaths since early October. The total number of Covid-19 related deaths registered in the calendar year up to 27th November has reached 1,382. Persons aged 75 and over accounted for two-thirds (65.2%) of all deaths and 77.6% of Covid‑19 related deaths registered this calendar year up to 27th November. For Covid-19 related deaths, those with an address in Belfast Local Government District (LGD) accounted for 350 (25.3%) of the 1,382 deaths registered in the calendar year to 27th November.
The figures from NISRA differ from the Department of Health's daily update because NISRA's weekly, provisional death statistics - which are based on death registration information collected by the General Register Office - count all deaths where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate by the doctor who certified the death, whether or not Covid-19 was the primary underlying cause of death.
Whereas the daily updates provided by the Department of Health count the number of deaths reported by Trusts, where the deceased had a positive test for Covid-19 and died within 28 days, whether or not Covid-19 was the cause of death.
On Friday the Department of Health announced another six people have died with Covid-19.
449 people tested positive for the virus, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the last seven days to 2,752.
There are 402 patients with Covid-19 in hospitals across Northern Ireland.
35 patients with the virus are in intensive care, 24 of those are on ventilators.
Hospital bed occupancy remains at 100%.
Care homes here currently have 114 active outbreaks.