Over half of coronavirus deaths in Northern Ireland are linked to care homes, new figures show.
Recent statistics from the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) also show that 62 previously unreported Covid-19 victims who died in hospital resided in care homes before their deaths.
It means the total number of coronavirus deaths linked to care homes stands at 380 as of May 22 - some 53.1% of the total (716) Covid-19 deaths in Northern Ireland, Belfast Live reports.
In the past deaths have been reported as either hospital or care home, without taking into account hospital patients who previously lived in care facilities.
The addition of hospital patients who were previously in care homes to NISRA statistics means that care home deaths linked to the virus are more than half the total number they were before.
They said: “It shows that of the 380 deaths of care home residents involving Covid-19 in the year to date to 22nd May 2020, 83.7% (318) occurred in a care home, with the remaining 62 occurring in hospital.
"Deaths of care home residents account for 53.1% of all Covid-19 related deaths.”
NISRA's “new analysis” provides “deaths of care home residents in hospital”.
Despite the fact some hospital patients had been in care homes prior to the deaths, NISRA says that of the total (716), 49.3% (353) took place in hospital, 44.4% (318) in care homes, 1.1% (eight) in hospices and 5.2% (37) in homes or elswehere."
The 326 deaths in care homes and hospices involved 76 separate establishments.
They added: “The comparative number of deaths reported daily by the Department of Health to 22nd May was 504. These figures are based on patients having previously tested positive for the virus, whereas 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.”
By this they mean there were 212 previously unreported deaths that have now been made public.
They also said: “Separate analyses based on the date of death registration, shows that the provisional number of total deaths registered in Northern Ireland in the week ending 22nd May 2020 was 325, 71 fewer than in week 19 and 35 more than the 5-year average of 290."
"Over the last eight weeks in total, 902 ‘excess deaths’ (deaths above the average for the corresponding period in previous years) have been registered in Northern Ireland, with the number of ‘excess deaths’ in the year to date to 22nd May totalling 643.”
The agency reported that Covid-19 “was mentioned on the death certificate for 53 (16.3%) of the 325 deaths registered in week 20, the fourth consecutive weekly fall in the number of registered Covid-19 related deaths and bringing the total number of Covid-19 related deaths registered in the calendar year 2020 to 705”.
The agency said that people aged 75 and over accounted for two-thirds of all deaths and 79.4% of Covid‑19 related deaths up to 22nd May this year.
Northern Ireland Health Minister Robin Swann said: “Every one of these statistics represents a person who was loved and is sadly missed. We must always remember that.
“While the death rate in NI continues to decrease, Covid-19 is still a very real threat. Everyone must keep following public health advice on social distancing and hand washing."
The Department of Health has said there are 69 active care home outbreaks and 52 clusters have been closed.
Last week Clifton Nursing Home in Belfast was ordered to close after the watchdog Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority raised concerns about how it was handling coronavirus.
NISRA obtains its statistics using death certificates in which Covid-19 is mentioned as a cause.
It is unrelated to daily death totals published by the Department of Health which focus mainly on hospital deaths in which a patient has tested positive for the virus.
Men and women accounted for similar proportions in the calendar year to May 22.
Those with a Belfast address were responsible for 30% of Covid-19 deaths this year.
Fermanagh and Omagh had the fewest number at 16 so far this year.
Belfast recorded the highest at 209.
