Latest Covid-19 Infection Survey Results Published

The latest weekly Covid-19 Infection Survey results have been published by the Department of Health.

The report states that due to the relatively small number of tests and positive swab results within the sample, credible intervals are wide and therefore "results should be interpreted with caution".

Key findings include:

• During the most recent week of the study (27 March – 2 April 2022), it is estimated that 113,900 people in Northern Ireland had COVID-19 (95% credible interval: 97,100 to 131,500).

• This equates to 6.21% of the population (95% credible interval: 5.29% to 7.17%) or around 1 in 16 people (95% credible interval: 1 in 19 to 1 in 14).

• Modelling suggests the trend in the percentage of people testing positive was uncertain in the week ending 2 April in Northern Ireland.  

• In the latest six-week period, there were 15,406 swab tests taken in total from 11,703 participants. Of these, 902 participants tested positive from 702 different households.

• In the latest two-week period, of the 4,910 participants in the study, 296 tested positive from 236 households.

• The percentage of people testing positive increased in those aged over 60 but decreased in school-aged children and young adults in the most recent week.

• In the most recent week, the Omicron BA.2 variant remained the dominant variant across all UK countries; the percentage of people with infections compatible with the Omicron BA.2 variant remained high in England and continued to increase in Wales, however the trend was uncertain in Scotland and Northern Ireland (see below for more information on the variant analysis undertaken).

The findings set out in this report relate to modelled positivity estimates for NI for the week up to the 2 April 2022. The aims of the CIS are to estimate how many people have the infection and the number of new cases that occur over a given time as well as estimating how many people have developed antibodies to COVID-19.

The survey over time will help track the extent of infection and transmission of COVID-19 among people in the community population (those in private residential households).