Another tragic COVID-19 death recorded in Derry and Strabane

According to new data released by the Northern Ireland Research and Statistics Agency (NISRA) on Friday, 28 people had died after contracting SARS-CoV-2 in the week ending June 19. That was up from 27 recorded deaths by the end of the previous week.

NISRA reported this morning that 556 people in total have died in Derry and Strabane from all causes in 2020 so far: 5 per cent of all deaths (28) in the district have been directly related to the COVID-19 disease.

Between the weeks ending June 12 and June 19, 29 more deaths were registered in Derry and Strabane in total - one relating to SARS-CoV-2.

Derry and Strabane had the second fewest number of coronavirus deaths in the north in the calendar year up until June 19 while Fermanagh and Omagh had the fewest number at 16 - no rise in over a month.

The new data show that across the north COVID-19 has been mentioned on the death certificates of 816 people who have died so far this year.

"Of the 816 total deaths involving COVID-19 occurring up to June 19 420 (51.5%) occurred in hospital, 340 (41.7%) occurred in care homes, eight (1.0%) occurred in hospices and 48 (5.9%) occurred at residential addresses or another location," according to NISRA.

The 348 deaths in care homes and hospices involved 78 separate establishments, the weekly analysis shows, but in the week ending June 19, none of the 12 COVID-19 related deaths were in care homes.

Across the North 17 deaths mentioning COVID-19 on the death certificate were registered in week 24, accounting for 5.9% of all deaths in that week and and bringing the total number of COVID-19 related deaths registered this year to 812.

The weekly bulletin states: "In the calendar year to June 19, males and females accounted for similar proportions of all deaths registered (males: 49.0%, females: 51.0%) and COVID-19 related deaths registered (males: 49.8%; female: 50.2%)

"In the calendar year to June 19, the 75 years and over age-group accounted for two-thirds (66.3%) of all deaths and four-fifths (79.9%)of COVID-19 related deaths.

"For COVID-19 related deaths, those with an address in Belfast LGD accounted for 238 (29.3%) of the 812 deaths registered in the calendar year to June 19."