23 deaths registered in Derry and Strabane; none COVID-19 related

New data published by the Northern Ireland Research and Statistics Agency (NISRA) this morning show 579 people have died in the city and district in the calendar year from all causes sofar; 4.8 per cent of these deaths (28) were related to the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Derry and Strabane again had the second fewest number of coronavirus deaths in the north in the calendar year up until June 26 while Fermanagh and Omagh had the fewest number at 16.

Across the north as a whole there have been 8,696 deaths from all causes in 2020. NISRA report that 824 of the deaths registered in the week ending June 26 were related to COVID-19 disease, however, further analysis from the agency shows 826 (9.5%) coronavirus attributed deaths had occurred by the end of last week.

The fatality rate from COVID-19 in Derry and Strabane was thus half the average recorded across the north in percentage terms.

"There have been 8,696 deaths registered in the year-to-date, 31.2% of which (2,716) were classified as ‘respiratory’," according to the latest weekly bulletin.

"The number and proportion of respiratory deaths is higher in the year-to-date than the 5-year average (2,388; 30.0%).

"Twelve deaths mentioning COVID-19 on the death certificate were registered in week 25, accounting for 4.1% of all deaths in that week and bringing the total number of COVID-19 related deaths registered in calendar year 2020 to 824.

"In the calendar year to June 26, males and females accounted for similar proportions of all deaths registered (males: 48.9%, females: 51.1%) and COVID-19 related deaths registered (males: 49.6%; female: 50.4%).

"In the calendar year to June 26, the 75 years and over age-group accounted for two-thirds (66.1%) of all deaths and four-fifths (80.0%)of COVID-19 related deaths.

"For COVID-19 related deaths, those with an address in Belfast LGD accounted for 239 (29.0%) of the 824 deaths registered in the calendar year to June 26," the report states.