STORMONT'S deputy first minister last night called for universal testing across all care homes in Northern Ireland as figures revealed almost half of all Covid-19-related deaths were in such facilities.
Statistics released yesterday revealed that for a second week, there were more deaths in care homes than hospitals.
Michelle O'Neill said there should be a regular programme of testing for all residents and staff in residential homes and "no stone must be left unturned in supporting care homes right now".
The virus has now claimed the lives of 427 people in the north.
Two of the most recent deaths happened yesterday. A further three people died earlier but their deaths have only now been reported.
A total of 4,022 people have tested positive for coronavirus.
In the Republic, 27 more people have died from Covid-19 bringing the overall death toll to 1,429.
The Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (Nisra) yesterday said 516 deaths involving Covid-19 have been recorded on death certificates up to May 1.
There have been 232 care home deaths related to coronavirus.
Of the 115 deaths from April 25 to May 1 - 39 occurred in hospital, 71 in care homes, one in a hospice and four at home.
The department's figures are based on patients having previously tested positive for the virus, whereas Nisra figures are based on the information entered on death certificates, filled out by medical professionals.
They may or may not have previously tested positive for the virus.
That represents an increase of 113 on the 383 deaths reported by the Northern Ireland Public Health Agency (PHA) on that day.
The Nisra figures indicated that 49 per cent of deaths were in hospitals, 45 per cent in care homes, 5.2 per cent at home and 0.8 per cent at hospices.
The deaths in care homes and hospices involved 66 separate establishments.
Speaking yesterday as she visited one of the NI Scrubs hubs in Dungannon to see the work being carried out, Ms O'Neill said the figures demonstrate that Northern Ireland is on a knife's edge.
"Behind all those figures are families who've lost a loved one and we need to realise that as it drives home the message why we're asking people to continue doing what we're doing for the next three weeks," she said.
"It demonstrates further to me that we're making a difference, the things that people are doing are making a difference.
"By and large, people have been absolutely first class in responding and following the public health message by staying at home, and only going out whenever they have to.
"We need people to keep on doing that because we still have this battle on our hands, and ultimately it's always about saving lives, and the more and more we move around, the more and more diseases spread."
She said that the figures also expose the "serious battle" within care homes.
"It means that no stone must be left unturned in supporting care homes right now and supporting the staff and supporting the residents.
"If you're sitting at home and one of your loved ones is in the care home, you can understand your anxiousness, you can understand your fear.
"We need to make sure that absolutely everything that needs to be done to support care homes right now is done, and I think there's a further step that's required in terms of care homes, and I believe that should be universal testing.
"There should be a regular programme of testing for all residents and staff and our care homes right now.
"I think that would help to be able to identify the virus and actually allow speedy action to be taken."
