There were 4,075 excess deaths in Northern Ireland from March 2020 to December 2022, which was 9% higher than expected.
The Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) has published a report on the excess mortality and Covid related deaths in NI during the pandemic until December 2022.
It shows that there were an estimated 4,075 excess deaths during that period, 9% higher than expected and 5,060 Covid related deaths.
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There were 3,536 Covid related deaths in hospitals, which was three times larger than the estimated excess deaths in hospitals of 1,056. Almost 70% of all Covid related deaths took place in hospitals.
3,176 or 77.9% of excess deaths took place at home.
Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon had the largest estimate of excess deaths with 523, with this accounting for 12.8% of excess deaths from March 2020 to December 2022. It had also the highest excess deaths as a proportion of expected deaths.
The Belfast area had the lowest proportion of excess deaths at 4.5%.
Excess deaths were higher in rural areas, with 11.9% taking place in that setting and they outnumbered Covid related deaths. There were 1,572 excess deaths in rural areas compared to 1,472 Covid related deaths.
From March 2020 to September 2022, the number of deaths where Covid-19 was found to be the underlying cause (4,028) was higher than excess mortality in this 31-month period (3,661).
NISRA has said that noteworthy levels of excess deaths were found for diseases of the digestive system (342 or 16.0% above expected levels) and diabetes (156 or 26.2% above expected levels).
There were fewer deaths in hospitals, care homes and hospices during the pandemic (negative excess deaths) and more deaths at home and other settings for malignant neoplasms, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, circulatory and respiratory diseases. Deaths caused by diseases of the digestive system went up in all settings, but most markedly at home with 44.3% taking place there.
Excess deaths from diseases of the digestive system were markedly higher for females and those aged 75 to 84, with the Southern nad Western Health and Social Care Trusts being the most impacted.
Deaths due to dementia and Alzheimer’s disease were below expected levels in urban areas at -4.3% and above expected levels in rural and mixed urban/rural areas at 9.2%.
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