Latest figures published today by NISRA show that 10 deaths involving Covid-19 occurred in the week March 27 to April 2, 2021, the lowest number since the week ending October 9, 2020.

The total number of Covid-19 related deaths that occurred up to April 2, 2021 has now reached 2,919. Of the 2,919 Covid-19 related deaths, 1,920 took place in hospital, 770 in care homes, 14 in hospices and 215 at residential addresses or other locations.

The comparative number of deaths reported daily by the Department of Health to April 2, 2021 was 2,116. 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 and therefore include both confirmed and suspected cases, and where Covid-19 was either a contributor to or the main cause of death.

Further analysis, which includes deaths of care home residents in hospital, shows that of the 1,006 deaths of care home residents involving Covid-19 that occurred between March 18, 2020 and April 2, 2021, 770 occurred in a care home, with the remaining 236 occurring in hospital. On this basis, deaths of care home residents account for 34.5 per cent 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 April 2, 2021 (week 13, 2021) was 288, 19 less than in week 12, and 10 less than the 5-year average (2016-2020) of 298.

Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate of 12 of the 288 deaths registered in week 13, a decrease of 7 from the previous week’s 19 Covid-19 related deaths. The total number of Covid-19 related deaths registered to April 2, 2021 has now reached 2,917.

Persons aged 75 and over accounted for 76.3 per cent of the 2,917 Covid‑19 related deaths registered between March 19, 2020 andApril 2, 2021.

Over the period of the pandemic, Fermanagh and Omagh has a relatively low share of registered Covid-19 related deaths when compared to the proportion of Northern Ireland deaths registered in those areas with 2.5 percentage points respectively lower than their share of all deaths.