With an increase in deaths attributed to COVID-19 locally and statewide, some people are wondering what factors are going on to determine that a death is a COVID-19 death.
This comes as local health departments measure mortality to better understand the state of the pandemic.
“It’s very important to know how bad the disease really is, that’s why the numbers are really important to find out,” said Drs. Henning Ansorg, Santa Barbara County Health Officer.
Dr. Ansorg explains that dying with COVID-19 and dying from COVID-19 are not the same.
“You could die of another condition and just by accident also have a positive COVID test. It’s pretty rare, but it does happen,” said Drs. Care.
According to NBC branch KGW in Oregon, if you die in a car accident in that state and previously tested positive for COVID-19 is automatically considered a COVID-19 death.
But here in California, that provision is stricter.
“For example, if someone had a car accident because they cursed and they only cursed because they had a fever of 105 because they had a terrible pneumonia due to COVID, then COVID was actually an underlying condition that affected them. caused death, even though she actually died from the car accident, “explained Dr. Care.
Sgt. Tony Perry with the Coroner unit of the Office of Sheriff of San Luis Obispo County is also at the forefront of the death confirmation.
“The California Department of Public Health checks all death certificates and requires agencies and the Department of Health to process death certificates with at least two causes of death when it comes to COVID-19,” Sgt. Perry said.
Just last week, SLO County Public Health officials examined the number of COVID-19 deaths after further investigation.
It was determined that COVID-19 was not an underlying death in one specific case as originally thought, and the individual was already in the final stages of dying.
The health department added, “In deaths where it is unclear if COVID-19 may have contributed to that person’s death, these cases will not be reported as a COVID-19 death.”
The Department of State Health Department of Colorado has revised its method for counting COVID-19 deaths. There are now two separate categories – deaths by COVID-19 and deaths by COVID-19.
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