Twenty-one deaths linked to Covid-19 in Northern Ireland have been recorded in the latest weekly update.

       The figure represents a decrease of 13 fatalities on the 34 deaths that occurred in the previous week, according to data compiled by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (Nisra).

       The latest deaths, registered in the week ending February 18, take the total number of coronavirus-linked fatalities recorded by Nisra to 4,275.

       The Nisra figure is drawn from different data sources and is always higher than the Department of Health’s total, as it provides a broader picture of the impact of Covid-19.

       On February 18, the department had reported 3,177 deaths.

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       The department’s statistics focus primarily on hospital deaths and only include people who have tested positive for the virus.

       Nisra obtains its data from death certificates on which Covid-19 is recorded as a factor by a medical professional, regardless of where the death took place or whether the patient tested positive.

       The statistics agency reports its Covid data with a week lag.

       The Nisra figure includes 2,978 deaths in hospital, 916 in care homes, and 381 at residential addresses, hospices or other locations.

       Nisra reported that up to February 18, the deaths of 1,205 care home residents were linked to Covid-19, 28.2% of all coronavirus-related deaths.

       Covid-19 was also mentioned on the death certificate of 31 of the 319 deaths registered in the week to February 18.

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       Some of the deaths registered in the week ending February 18 could have taken place before that week, as fatalities can take a number of days to register.

       Those aged 75 and over account for 73.3% of the Covid-related deaths registered between March 19 2020 and February 18 2022.