Another six deaths recorded in latest weekly Covid-19 update in NI

Six deaths linked to Covid-19 have been recorded in Northern Ireland in the latest weekly update.

The deaths, in the week ending June 3, take the total number of coronavirus-linked deaths recorded by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (Nisra) to 4,637.

The figure is drawn from different data sources and is always higher than the Department of Health’s total as it provides a broader picture of the impact of Covid-19.

The department’s statistics focus primarily on hospital deaths and include only people who have tested positive for the virus.

Nisra obtains its data from death certificates on which Covid-19 is recorded as a factor by a medical professional, regardless of where the death took place or whether the patient tested positive.

The statistics agency reports its Covid data with a week’s lag.

The Nisra figure includes 3,225 deaths in hospital, 983 in care homes, and 429 at residential addresses, hospices or other locations.

Nisra reported that up to June 3, the deaths of 1,287 care home residents were linked to Covid-19, 27.8% of all coronavirus-related deaths.

Covid-19 was also mentioned on the death certificate of five of the 220 deaths registered in the week to June 3.

Some of the deaths registered in the week ending June 3 could have taken place before that week as they can take days to register.

Those aged 75 and over account for 73.9% of the Covid-related deaths registered between March 19 2020 and June 3 2022.