The latest weekly update from the Northern Ireland Statistical and Research Agency (Nisra) this morning has revealed that the total number of Covid-19 related deaths in the north to August 21 was 871.
The new total included three deaths with Covid-19 in the week commencing August 15.
Of the total number of deaths, 460 (52.8 per cent) took place in hospital, 351 (40.3 per cent) in care homes, eight (0.9 per cent) in hospices and 52 (six per cent) at residential addresses or other locations.
The 359 deaths which occurred in care homes and hospices involved 81 separate establishments.
Of the 871 deaths registered by Nisra, more than two-thirds - 64.8 per cent - were people aged over 75.
The comparative number of deaths reported daily by the Department of Health to August 21 was 559.
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.
The Nisra statistics are delayed by a week due to the time it takes to register a death.
Yesterday, the Department of Health revealed that the R number in Northern Ireland is between 1 and 1.6.
R represents the number of people who, on average, will be infected by a single person with the virus.
