Coronavirus: Nisra records 11 Covid-related deaths in past week

Eleven Covid-19 related deaths were registered in Northern Ireland in the week to 9 October, official figures show.

That is nine more than the previous week, according to the latest bulletin from the government statistics agency Nisra.

It counts deaths where the virus is mentioned on the death certificate.

Under that measure, the agency says 915 deaths occurred up to last Friday, including 495 in hospital.

It also details the deaths of 81 people normally resident in care homes.

Taking that figure into account, and the 356 people who died in care homes, it means care home residents account for almost half of all Covid-19 related deaths in NI (47.8%).

The number of care home resident deaths is unchanged.

Eight people died in hospices (0.9%) and 56 at residential or other locations (6.1%).

People aged 75 and over account for 79% of all Covid-19 related deaths, with 28.8% of people who have died having a Belfast council area address.

The comparative Department of Health figure for the same date was 587. Its measure is based on a positive test result having been recorded.

The provisional number of all deaths for the week ending 9 October was 348.

That is 20 more than in the previous week and 48 more than the five-year average of 300.

Excess deaths are those above what would normally be expected at the time of year, averaged over five years.

Nisra found 1,305 excess deaths have been registered in the past 26 weeks.