The health ministry on Friday added 19 more fatalities to the total death toll attributed to coronavirus, following a review of the epidemiological data.

This brings the number of people who died from the virus to 971 in the government-controlled areas.

The 19 additional deaths which have now been attributed to Covid-19 concern seven men and 12 women aged from 53 to 97. With the exception of the death of one man which occurred in February 2022, the remaining 18 occurred in 2021.

According to the ministry’s announcement, the death toll was revised as part of the process of recording and verifying data reported in previous months to the epidemiological surveillance unit.

Hence, Friday’s possible deaths will be added to the total number of 971, the ministry said.

It also explained the database will be regularly updated “to ensure that epidemiological surveillance data are correctly and comprehensively recorded”.