Northern Ireland

Highest Covid death rate recorded since May

NISRA has recorded the highest number of Covid-19 deaths since May.
NISRA has recorded the highest number of Covid-19 deaths since May. NISRA has recorded the highest number of Covid-19 deaths since May.

Covid related deaths in Northern Ireland are at the highest they've been since the height of the pandemic in May, according to the latest statistics.

The Northern Ireland Statistics & Research Agency (NISRA) said 42 Covid-19-related deaths were registered in Northern Ireland in the week up to last Friday.

That is 25 more than the previous week, according to the latest figures from the government statistics agency.

It is the highest weekly number of deaths recorded by the agency since May.

The NISRA death toll now stands at 972 up to October 23, including 547 deaths that occurred in hospital.

The Department of Health figures showed nine further death, eight which occurred within the 24 hour reporting period, along with a further death not previously recorded in the official statistics.

It bring the department's figures for coronavirus related deaths to 697.

There are 354 people currently in hospital being treated for the virus, 43 people who have tested positive for covid are in ICU.

In the Republic there were six further Covid-19 related deaths and 772 new cases notified to the Department of Health on Friday.

There has been a total of 1,908 coronavirus-related deaths in the South.

The number of people in ICU is 42, a decrease of one since Thursday. There are 325 patients with the virus being treated in hospital.

In Scotland there were 1,281 new infections and 28 further deaths. So far 2,819 have lost their life from the virus in Scotland.

Wales recorded 11 further deaths and 1,737 new infections. There have been 1,859 Covid linked deaths in Wales since the start of the pandemic.

England remains the hardest hit with 226 further deaths recorded on Friday and 20,821 new infections.

Since March 40,854 have lost their lives in England with 839,580 people having so far tested positive.