The Covid-19 death, infection and hospital admission rates are higher among those living in the most deprived areas, new reports from the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (Nisra) and the North’s Department of Health have shown. In the most deprived areas of Northern Ireland the death rate was 60.5 per 100,000 of the population and this compared with a general rate of 48.2 deaths per 100,000 and a rate of 49.1 for the least deprived areas. In a separate report the North’s health department found that the admission rate for confirmed or suspected cases of the virus in the 10 per cent most deprived areas (581 admissions per 100,000 population) was almost double the rate in the 10 per cent least deprived areas (317 admissions per 100,000 population). The department said that the infection rate in the 10 per cent most deprived areas (379 cases per 100,000 population) was one-fifth higher than the rate in the 10 per cent least deprived areas (317 cases per 100,000 population) and two-fifths higher than the Northern Ireland average (272 cases per 100,000 population). The infection rate among females (308 cases per 100,000 population) was one-third higher than males (234 cases per 100,000 population).

Source: The Irish Times June 17, 2020 14:55 UTC