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The number of Covid-19 related deaths in care homes in the week to 8 May was about 50% fewer than the previous week.
The Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (Nisra) has published its weekly statistical bulletin.
In the week up to 8 May, 36 deaths happened in care homes. In the previous week, by 1 May, that figure was 72.
However, almost half of the 599 coronavirus-related deaths recorded by Nisra in total have so far happened in care homes.
The bulletin says by 8 May, 294 deaths (49.1%) occurred in hospital; 269, or 44.9%, occurred in care homes, and five (0.8%) occurred in hospices.
Thirty-one (5.2%) took place at residential addresses or another location.
The deaths in care homes and hospices involved 71 separate establishments, Nisra reported.
In the week up to 8 May, the number of people who died in hospital settings, 37, was similar to the number of deaths that took place in care homes, 36.
The previous two weeks showed that more people had died in care homes than in hospitals.
Two sets of Covid-19 figures are published in Northern Ireland:
- A daily set produced by the Department of Health, which counts mostly hospital deaths
- The weekly statistics from Nisra, which cover all fatalities where coronavirus has been recorded on the death certificate
The Department of Health had reported 432 Covid-19 related deaths in total by 8 May - but its figures are mostly comprised of hospital deaths.
The department said there is always a time lag for registering deaths in the community, with the process taking up to five days, and that the Nisra report could not feasibly be linked to the daily figures.
The total death toll is ultimately set to be higher.
On Thursday, Health Minister Robin Swann said a request he placed to Nisra to release figures twice a week had been rejected.
He also asked if the Department of Health's dashboard output could be extended to include a breakdown of the daily fatalities by setting.
But Nisra said it was "committed to publishing as much information as it can about Covid-19 related deaths as quickly as possible".
"In doing so we must not compromise the accuracy, quality and integrity of this information," said a spokesperson.
What do we know about the situation in NI's care homes?
Three separate care homes in Northern Ireland have publicly reported deaths in double figures, including:
Currently, residents and staff are only tested for coronavirus in care homes where there is a suspected outbreak, or if they are new entrants to the care home sector.
In the Republic of Ireland, testing of all care home staff and residents is expected to be completed this week.