�鶹Լ��

There have been nine Covid-19 related deaths registered in Northern Ireland in the week to last Friday (23 July), according to the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (Nisra).

The government agency said that figure is the highest number since early April this year.

It brings Nisra's total to 2,997 and is an increase of six on the previous week.

The Department of Health's total for the same date was 2,170.

Nisra's figures are higher, because it records mentions of the virus on death certificates, where it may or may not have been confirmed by a test, while the department's figure is based on a positive test result being recorded.

On Nisra's measure, around two-thirds of Covid-19 related deaths have occurred in hospital (1,991), including the deaths of 236 care home residents.

Taking that figure, and the 780 who died in care homes, it means care home residents account for just over a third (33.8%) of all Covid-19 related deaths.

No care home resident deaths occurred in the week to 23 July.

Covid-19 related deaths were also recorded in hospices (0.5%) and other residential locations (7.4%).

People aged 75 and over account for more than three-quarters of all Covid-19 related registered deaths (75.9%) between 19 March 2020 and 23 July 2021.

Armagh City Banbridge & Craigavon (12.1%), Antrim & Newtownabbey (9.6%) and Mid-Ulster (8.4%) local government districts have now recorded higher proportions of all Covid-19 related deaths, compared with their share of all deaths in Northern Ireland (10.3%, 7.9% and 6.5% respectively).

The provisional number of deaths from all causes registered in the week ending 23 July was 306.

That is 75 more than the previous week, and 21 more than the five-year average for the time of year of 285.