Coronavirus: NI's Covid-related deaths fall for sixth consecutive week

Nisra's figures are based on death certificates whereas the department's are based on positive tests

The weekly number of Covid-related deaths registered in NI has fallen for a sixth consecutive week.

The virus was mentioned on 33 deaths certificates in the week to Friday 5 March 2021, according to the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency.

That is 22 fewer than the previous week and brings the agency's total of Covid-related registered deaths to 2,839.

The Department of Health has recorded 2,097 deaths, with one more reported on Friday.

The figures from the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (Nisra) are higher because it records mentions of the virus on death certificates, whereas the department bases its figures on a positive test result.

The department also reported 208 new cases of the virus on Friday.

On Nisra's measure, almost two-thirds of Covid-related deaths have happened in hospital (1,861), including the deaths of 235 care home residents.

Taking that figure, and the 997 who died in care homes, it means care home residents account for almost a third (35%) of all Covid-related deaths.

Provisional figures for the week to 5 March 2021 suggest no care home residents died with Covid-19 in that week.

Covid-related deaths were also recorded in hospices (0.5%) and other residential locations (7.3%).

People aged 75 and over account for more than three-quarters of all Covid-related registered deaths (76.8%) between 19 March 2020 and 5 March 2021.

Armagh City Banbridge and Craigavon (12.2%) and Mid-Ulster (8.1%) council areas have now recorded higher proportions of all Covid-related deaths, compared with their share of all deaths in Northern Ireland (10.4% and 6.4% respectively).

The provisional number of deaths from all causes for the week ending 5 March was 319.

That is 32 fewer than the previous week, and 19 fewer than the five-year average for the time of year which is 338.