Northern Ireland

Coronavirus death toll reaches 850 in north

The coronavirus death toll has hit 850
The coronavirus death toll has hit 850 The coronavirus death toll has hit 850
By David Young and Press Association

The coronavirus death toll in Northern Ireland has reached 850, figures show.

That was the number of deaths linked to the virus that had occurred up to Friday July 17, according to the latest weekly update from the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (Nisra).

As the Nisra figures are published with a week lag, the current death toll could be higher than 850.

The data shows five deaths occurred in the week from July 11 to July 17, which was up two on the week before.

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In the week July 11-17, two deaths were officially registered - one or both of which might have occurred prior to that week, as fatalities can take a number of days to register.

The number of registrations was down seven on the previous week and the lowest number recorded since March.

The Nisra figures give a fuller picture of Covid-19 deaths than the daily figures released by the Department of Health, which focus primarily on hospital fatalities and only include people who have tested positive for the virus.

Nisra obtains its statistics using 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.

The comparative number of deaths reported daily by the Department of Health on July 17 was 556.

That number has not increased in the intervening six days, as the department has gone a total of 10 days without recording one Covid-19 fatality.

Two coronavirus deaths were officially registered between July 11 and July 17
Two coronavirus deaths were officially registered between July 11 and July 17 Two coronavirus deaths were officially registered between July 11 and July 17

Of the 850 deaths, 446 (52.5%) occurred in hospital, 347 (40.8%) in care homes, eight (0.9%) in hospices and 49 (5.8%) at residential addresses or other locations.

The 355 deaths which occurred in care homes and hospices involved 81 separate establishments.

Nisra also provides an analysis around the total number of care home residents who have died, whether in their home or in hospital having been transferred for treatment.

Up to July 17, the deaths of 427 care home residents have been linked to coronavirus, 80 of which occurred in hospital.

Care home residents make up just over 50% of all Covid-19 linked deaths in Northern Ireland.