Readers of the last blog will know that the statistics last week, did not support tales of a pandemic nor did they support the excuse for the Health Protection (Coronavirus Restrictions) which stated in its opening:

“These Regulations are made in response to the serious and imminent threat to public health which is posed by the incidence and spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS- CoV-2) in Northern Ireland.

The Department of Health considers that the restrictions and requirements imposed by these Regulations are proportionate to what they seek to achieve, which is a public health response to that threat.

In accordance with section 25Q of that Act the Department of Health is of the opinion that, by reason of urgency, it is necessary to make these Regulations without a draft having been laid before, and approved by a resolution of, the Assembly.”

Statistics for week ending 3rd April [week13] are now available. Deaths registered were 434; 147 more than in week 12 and 136 more than the 5-year average of 298.

The NISRA rules for Covid-19 are as follows:

“Because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, from 3rd April 2020 the NISRA weekly deaths release has been supplemented with the numbers of respiratory deaths (respiratory deaths include any death where Pneumonia, Bronchitis, Bronchiolitis or Influenza are mentioned on the death certificate); and deaths relating to COVID -19 (that is, where COVID-19 or suspected COVID-19 was mentioned anywhere on the death certificate, including in combination with other health conditions).”

Over a quarter of deaths in week 13 were classified as ‘respiratory’. The number of such deaths so far this year is lower than the 5-year average.

Of the 37 Covid-19 deaths registered among those aged 75+ in week 13 that equated to 13.3% of all deaths for that age group.

The age group 45-74 suffered 12.5% Covid-19 deaths.

So there appears to be no inherent danger to , or undue weakness in the 75+ population.

79 deaths have now occurred where Covid-19 is mentioned on the death certificate.

Only 7 have occurred in the under 65 age group.

Despite all this positive news and the absence of the equivalence of the Black Death sweeping Northern Ireland, the PSNI are encouraging citizens to report their fellows for alleged breaches of the Regulations.

The damage that the PSNI are inflicting on society by these actions and lack of action in solving the vast majority of routine crimes is scandalous.

Despite these issues, the question still remains-how many citizens is Covid-19 killing? Nobody seems to know. The press has reported that there will be no inquests into these deaths, because they are deemed to be ‘natural’.

I do not know how many deaths receive a post mortem, the results of which would surely help future research.

No doubt the figures for week 14 will be higher but it will still beg the question-how many did Covid-19 kill?