As the COVID-19 pandemic has unfolded any number of issues have arose including the reliability of the numbers being published by the Department of Health.
These are the numbers Goveror Wolf and Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine rely upon to reopen Pennsylvania.
Recently, a number of questions were submitted to Secretary Levine to address the discrepancies.
Nate Wardle, Press Secretary for the Pennsylvania Department of Health offered the following responses.
Question: In today’s death toll, Columbia County has 14 deaths for the county and 17 for nursing or PCH, why the difference in numbers?
The discrepancy you are noting is one that does exist. We are continuing our reconciliation work to bring in data from various sources. We are working to provide real-time data to the public with daily reporting of cases and deaths. Some of the reconciliation and behind-the-scenes data analysis that takes days and weeks is being done on a regular basis, and that can lead to fluctuations in the data. That is likely the reason for the discrepancy.
We feel confident that as COVID-19 cases and deaths slow down, the data reported by the department will match that of other data sources, such as county health departments and county coroners. It is important to note that they will have this data in advance of the state, and must then report it to us.
Question: Sec. Levine & Gov. Wolf, what role if any is the Office of General Counsel or any of the Public Health Agency (CDC, NIH, HHS) Offices of General Counsel playing in allowing county coroners information on COVID-19 deaths?
Offices of General Counsel on state or federal level is not involved in the discussion regarding county coroners having access to information.
Question: Will County Coroners be advised in real-time of COVID-19 cases and deaths by the Dept. of Health going forward?
We are continuing to work with the coroners and assist them as they discuss their needs with the department.
With that said, a death attended to by a medical professional, which includes a physician, certified registered nurse practitioner, physician assistant or dentist who is a staff member of a licensed health care facility does not need to be referred to a coroner. These medical professionals, through their hospital or facility, would have access to our data system and if they do not have access to our death reporting area.
Deaths are referred to a coroner if a death case occurs when a medical professional is not able to certify the death, or if the circumstances surrounding the death suggest the death was sudden, violent, suspicious in nature or was the result of other than natural causes.
A death of natural causes, such as from COVID-19, can be certified by a medical professional.
The department believes that the current structure of handling deaths, where medical professionals handle deaths in which they attend to, is appropriate. This is what happens for other diseases, such as the flu. Deaths are referred to a coroner if a death case occurs when a medical professional is not able to certify the death, or if the circumstances surrounding the death suggest the death was sudden, violent, suspicious in nature or was the result of other than natural causes.
Question: As a follow-up, can you explain why a County Coroner is being asked to pay a fee to obtain a death certificate from the Dept. of Health for a reported COVID-19 death, that was subsequently ruled a non-COVID-19 death?
As for the fee, for copies of death certificates, a fee is required. I can’t speak to the specifics involved here.
Lycoming County Coroner Charles Kiessling was on a conference call earlier today with the Department of Health continuing to address theses issues.
It comes on the same day Coroner Charles Kiessling confirmed with News Talk 104.1 the first two deaths in Lycoming County attributed to COVID-19.
Stay tuned to News talk 104.1 & 1600 WEJS and talkwilliamsport.com for developments on this story.
