Laois has highest number of deaths from Covid-19 in Midlands

Official figures which reveal how many people in Laois and other counties from Covid-19 from March 2020 to February of this year show that Laois had the second had the highest number of fatalities among Midland counties.

In total, 93 people died from Covid-19 in Laois over the two year period, according to figures released from the Central Statistics Office.

Laois was ahead of Westmeath - 82, Offaly - 67, Longford - 36 on the deaths table. The county also had more deaths than Carlow and Kilkenny both of which border Laois.

The following is a breakdown of the Laois deaths by age:

- 44 of those were in the 85 or older age category.

- 26 were aged between 75 to 84.

-16 between 65-74.

- 3 were between 55-64

- 2 was between 45-54

- 2 was between 35-44

There were no people recorded as having died due to Covid in Laois below the age of 34 during.

Nationally the figures show that 59% of deaths from COVID-19 occurred in general and orthopaedic hospitals, a figure of 3,176. Some 29% or 1,564 of deaths occurring in nursing homes. Community hospitals accounted for 183 deaths and private hospitals 106

This was followed by nursing homes with dying from the disease. The next highest recorded was in domiciliary care with 257 passing away.

Dublin City recorded the highest number of COVID-19 deaths at 951, or 17% of all COVID-19 deaths in the period.

The fewest number of COVID-19 deaths occurred in Leitrim with 26 such deaths recorded, or, 0.5% of such deaths nationally.

Persons aged 65 and over accounted for 91% of COVID-19 deaths nationally.

The analysis focuses on deaths where Covid-19 was found to have been the underlying cause of death (UCOD).

A death due to Covid-19 differs from a death with Covid-19 in that Covid-19 is identified as the underlying cause of death in the former but not in the latter.

In deaths between March 2020 and February 2022, COVID-19 was identified as the underlying cause of death in 5,384 cases.