Latest figures on coronavirus reveal that in one week 62% of deaths occurred in care homes.
The weekly bulletin from Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (Nisra) shows 115 deaths involving Covid-19 between April 25 and May 1. Of that total, 71 people (62%) died in care homes, 39 in hospital, four at home and one in a hospice. Nisra said there were 43 fewer deaths than in the previous week.
The death toll by May 1 stands at 516 and of those deaths:
- 49% were in hospital (253 people)
- 45% in care homes (232) This is up from 40%
- 5.2% in residential addresses (27)
- 0.8% in hospices (4)
Nisra said the 236 deaths in care homes and hospices involved 66 separate establishments. The number of deaths in care homes has increased. In the period up to April 25 Nisra reported that 40% of all deaths had occured in care homes. As of May 1 that figure stood at 45%.
Read more: Statistics reveal 40% of Covid-19 deaths occurred in care homes
Of the 516 total deaths involving COVID-19 occurring up to 1th May, 253 (49.0%) occurred in hospital, 232 (45.0%) occurred in care homes, four (0.8%) occurred in hospices and 27 (5.2%) occurred at residential addresses or another location https://t.co/KmdVrvPf6p pic.twitter.com/H8kjan3JaJ
— NISRA (@NISRA) May 8, 2020
In the period up to May 1 the Department of Health recorded 383 deaths. Nisra says the department's figures reflect the deaths of people who had tested positive for Covid-19 while its figures include instances where coronavirus had been noted on someone's death certificate.
Age NI said it was alarmed at the death rate in care homes. The charity said it was "critical" for Health Minister Robin Swann to "ensure expert Covid-19 health teams are deployed as a matter of urgency to support residents and staff in care homes".
Read more:
- Stormont plan for easing lockdown postponed as infection rate 'still too high'
- The level of coronavirus in individual care homes must be published "as a matter of public interest"
