Four additional deaths linked to outbreak brings local total to 859
FOUR coronavirus-linked deaths occurred in Northern Ireland in the latest week subjected to statistical analysis.
The fatalities in the period August 1 to 7 took the total recorded by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (Nisra) to 859.
In the same week the Department of Health recorded no new Covid-19 deaths.
The Nisra data gives a fuller picture of fatalities than the daily figures released by the department, which focuses primarily on hospital deaths and only includes 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. The person may or may not have tested positive for the virus.
The comparative total number of deaths reported by the department on August 7 was 556.
Of the 859 deaths recorded by Nisra, 452 (52.6%) occurred in hospital, 349 (40.6%) in care homes, eight (0.9%) in hospices and 50 (5.8%) at residential addresses or other locations.
The 357 deaths which occurred in care homes and hospices involved 81 establishments.
Nisra also provides an analysis around the total number of care home residents who have died, whether in their home or in a hospital, having been transferred for treatment. Up to August 7, the deaths of 429 care home residents were linked to coronavirus, 80 of which occurred in hospital.
Care home residents make up just under 50% of all coronavirus-linked deaths in Northern Ireland.
In the week July 1 to 7, five deaths were officially registered, some of which might have occurred prior to that week as fatalities can take a number of days to register. The number of registrations was up four on the previous week.
Health Minister Robin Swann said: “This rise may be attributed to the easing of lockdown measures, but may also be explained by the relaxing of attitudes to social distancing.
“We cannot become complacent because this virus continues to circulate and sadly continues to have devastating consequences for families.”
In the Republic, no new deaths and 92 further cases of Covid-19 were confirmed yesterday.