THE number of weekly deaths in the North of Ireland’s care homes from Coronavirus has fallen for the second week in a row.
But figures out today show that almost half all the deaths from COVID-19 took place in residential care homes.
The NI Statistics and Research Agency (Nisra) has published its latest statistical bulletin.
In the week to Friday, May 15, there were 32 deaths in care homes.
In the previous week up to Friday, May 8, that figure was 38.
However, almost half of the 664 coronavirus-related deaths recorded by Nisra have happened in care homes here.
Recorded weekly deaths in care homes here rose sharply after reporting by Nisra began on 20 March, and peaked in the week to Friday, May 1, with 72 fatalities.
The latest Nisra report says that by last Friday – out of 664 Covid-19 related deaths recorded in total – 303, (45.6%), occurred in care homes.
There were 322 (48.5%) deaths in hospital and six (0.9%) occurred in hospices.
Thirty-three (5%) took place at residential addresses or another location.
The deaths in care homes and hospices involved 76 separate establishments, Nisra reported.
In the week to 15 May, the number of people who died in care homes, 32, was higher than the number of deaths in hospital settings, 27.
People aged over 75 accounted for more than three-quarters (79.3%) of all Covid-19 related deaths in the North of Ireland.
Two sets of Covid-19 figures are published in the North of Ireland:
A daily set produced by the Department of Health, which counts mostly hospital deaths and where a patient tested positive for the virus;
The weekly statistics from Nisra, which cover all fatalities where coronavirus has been recorded on the death certificate.
The Department of Health had recorded 472 deaths by Friday, May 15.
It said there is always a time lag for registering deaths in the community, with the process taking up to five days, and that the Nisra report could not feasibly be linked to the daily figures.
The total death toll is ultimately set to be higher.
The Department of Health’s statistics published on Thursday said there was 20 deaths in the Derry City and Strabane District Council area.
But the Nisra bulletin published today says that there have been 27 Coronavirus-related deaths in the council area up to last Friday, May 15.
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