Coronavirus: 40.2% of COVID-19 deaths occurred in care homes, according to NISRA data

The bulletin shows that of 393 COVID-19 related deaths in the week ending April 24, 158 (40.2 per cent) took place in care homes.

The data show that the provisional number of deaths last week was 470; 46 more than in week 15 and 186 more than the 5-year average of 284.

Over the last four weeks, 596 ‘excess deaths’ have been registered in the north.

Over two-fifths (43.8%) of all deaths in were classified as ‘respiratory’ (206) with all COVID-19 related deaths been included in this classification.

The bulletin states: "One hundred and twenty eight deaths mentioning COVID-19 on the death certificate were registered in week 16, accounting for 27.2% of all deaths in that week and bringing the total number of COVID-19 related deaths registered in calendar year 2020 to 370.

"In the calendar year to April 24, males and females accounted for similar proportions of all deaths registered (males: 49.1%, females: 50.9%) and COVID-19 related deaths registered (males: 50.3%; female 49.7%).

"In the calendar year to April 24, the 75 years and over age-group accounted for around two-thirds (66.7%) of all deaths and three-quarters (75.1%) of COVID-19 related deaths."

The weekly update, which was published on Friday morning, shows that close to half of all COVID-19 deaths during the week took place in care homes.

"Of the 393 total deaths involving COVID-19 occurring up to April 24, 209 (53.2%) occurred in hospital , 158 (40.2%) occurred in care homes, three (0.8%) occurred in hospices and 23 (5.9%) occurred at residential addresses or another location.

"The proportion of all COVID-19 deaths occurring in care homes has therefore increased from 33.5% by April 17 th to 40.2%in the year-to-date to April 24.

"The 161 deaths in care homes and hospices involved 57 separate establishments. In the week ending April 24, over half (57.8%) of COVID-19 related deaths were in care homes, up from 45.6% in the week ending April 17," it states.