14 Covid-linked deaths recorded in Northern Ireland last week

Fourteen deaths linked to Covid-19 have been recorded in Northern Ireland in the latest weekly update.

The fatalities, which occurred in the week ending May 20, take the total number of coronavirus-linked deaths recorded by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (Nisra) to 4,618.

The figure is drawn from different data sources and is always higher than the Department of Health's total as it provides a broader picture of the impact of Covid-19.

The department's statistics focus primarily on hospital deaths and include only 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 data with a week's lag.

The Nisra figure of total Covid deaths includes 3,212 deaths in hospital, 981 in care homes, and 425 at residential addresses, hospices or other locations.

Nisra reported that up to May 20, the deaths of 1,284 care home residents were linked to Covid-19, 27.8% of all coronavirus-related deaths.

Covid-19 was also mentioned on the death certificate of 15 of the 312 deaths registered in the week to May 20.

Some of the deaths registered in the week ending May 20 could have taken place before that week as fatalities can take days to register.

Those aged 75 and over account for 73.8% of the Covid-related deaths registered between March 19 2020 and May 20 2022.

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