Only 42 of 156 Covid deaths reported this month occurred in April

People wearing face masks on Grafton Street. Photo: Gareth Chaney/Collins

Amy Blaney

April 19 2021 02:30 AM

Just 42 of the 156 Covid-related deaths reported so far this month occurred in the month of April.

Of the remaining deaths, 32 took place in March, 49 in February, 32 occurred in January or in the months prior, while the date of one death is under investigation.

This means that only 27pc of Covid-related deaths reported this month actually occurred in April. This is because the Department of Health takes into account deaths occurring in earlier months that have been newly notified to it.

A spokesperson for the department said: "While the majority of Covid-19 related deaths are notified in a timely manner, in some instances, notification of a death may be delayed.”

They said the daily report on Covid-related deaths contained figures newly notified by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC), regardless of the date of occurrence.

The data is gathered “directly from clinical information they receive when investigating cases and outbreaks of Covid-19 or from coroners’ files that they receive on a regular basis”.

They added that the HPSC gets a daily file from the General Registrar’s Office. However, a death can be legally registered with the office up to three months after the date of occurrence.

In March, 51pc of reported deaths either occurred in earlier months or had dates under investigation.

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