No further coronavirus-related deaths in Derry & Strabane; NI total rises by four

The total COVID-19 related deaths figure for Northern Ireland now stands at 859, with 29 of those deaths occurring in the local Council area.

Of this overall NI total, 452 (52.6%) of the deaths took place 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 separate establishments.

The comparative number of deaths reported daily by the Department of Health to August 7 was 556. These figures are based on patients having previously tested positive for the virus, whereas the NISRA figures are based on the information entered on death certificates, completed by medical professionals. They may or may not have previously tested positive for the virus.

Further analysis, which includes deaths of care home residents in hospital, shows that of the 429 deaths of care home residents involving COVID-19 in the year to date to August 7, 2020, 81.4% (349) occurred in a care home, with the remaining 80 occurring in hospital.

On this basis, deaths of care home residents account for 49.9% of all COVID-19 related deaths; however, no assumptions can be made in relation to where or when the deceased contracted the disease.

Separate analyses based on the date of death registration, shows that the provisional number of total deaths from all causes registered in Northern Ireland in the week ending August 7 2020 (week 31) was 280, seven more than in week 30 and four more than the 5-year average of 276.

Over the last 19 weeks in total, 1,035 ‘excess deaths’ (deaths above the average for the corresponding period in previous years) have been registered in Northern Ireland, with the number of ‘excess deaths’ in the year to date to 7th August totalling 776.

Persons aged 75 and over accounted for two-thirds (65.1%) of all deaths and 80% of COVID‑19 related deaths registered this calendar year up to August 7.