This week began with the news no one in Lycoming County wanted to hear, the first deaths attributed to COVID-19.
The news was so shocking, not even Lycoming County Coroner Charles Kiessling had heard about it until a phone call from this author attempting to confirm the news moments after the Pennsylvania Department of Health released them.
News Talk 104.1 aired an interview with Kiessling; who is also the President of the Pennsylvania Coroner’s Association on Tuesday, April 21, 2020 soon after the news broke of the first two reported deaths.
After that conversation, something was just not adding up in the math for Coroner Kiessling. Out of the blue the Sunday before, the same Department of Health announced a staggering number of deaths in a one day total of 276.
That same Sunday a new metric was added in case counting, “presumed positive” COVID-19 cases. This new metric led to inflated numbers into the multiple hundreds. It has since been removed from the Department of Health website in no small part of the reporting of News Talk 104.1.
Coroner Kiessling Interview on 4-21-20
Lycoming County Coroner Charles Kiessling began the process of obtaining the identity of the deceased by requesting the information through the normal chains of custody for records that he has followed for many years.
News Talk 104.1 has exclusively obtained several e-mail exchanges in the effort to obtain the records sought by Coroner Kiessling.
From: Charles Kiessling <CKiessling@lyco.org> Sent: Wednesday, April 22, 2020 12:40 AM
To: REDACTED <REDACTED@pa.gov> Subject: Lycoming County deaths?
Importance: High
REDACTED, I was informed by the PA DOH COVID 19 statistics that 2 person’s have died from COVID 19 in Lycoming County. These deaths were not reported to my office. Please provide me with the names of the deceased, their ages, where they resided, where they died and any other death certificate information.
I have been questioned all day by the Commissioners, Judges and other Public Safety officials regarding these deaths. I need this information for the safety of other County residents in the event that any concerns arise regarding these deaths. This is why i have felt so strongly about these deaths all being reported to the Coroners across PA. Thanks, Chuck
That e-mail was answered at 7:10 a.m. Wednesday morning, April 22, 2020 by the Department of Health, Bureau of Health Statistics and Registries.
Subject: RE: Lycoming County deaths?
Chuck, To release any vital statistics data, we can do so upon receipt and approve of an Application for Access to Protected Data. I’ve copied REDACTED who will provide you with a copy of that application and assistance with this process. Thanks, REDACTED, Department of Health | Bureau of Health Statistics and Registries
Why would a County Coroner need to file an Application for Access to Protected Data if a person had actually died of COVID-19, during a pandemic?
Would the safety of the public as Kiessling noted be paramount in this situation?
At 9:22 a.m. Coroner Kiessling is sent the following from the Department of Health, Bureau of Health Statistics and Registries:
Good morning Chuck,
Attached, please find the Government Application for Access to Protected Data along with the user manual to assist in the completion of the application. Please return the completed application to the following resource account (RA-DHPROTECTEDDATA@pa.gov) and cc me so I can expedite your application.
Please let me know if you have any questions. Thanks, REDACTED
Listed are the documents Kiessling was sent and must file to obtain the information he is seeking.
_Govt Application Access to Protected Data
The Department of Health, Bureau of Health Statistics and Registries is also requesting Kiessling pay a $9.00 fee to obtain the information about these 2 deaths.
Kiessling when asked for comment on this story offered the following:
“This is insanity from a public safety standpoint that Coroners need to buy information from the DOH that is mandatory to be reported to the Coroners.”
Is there a monetary motive to the artificially high death toll in Pennsylvania?
News Talk 104.1 asked that very question of Dr. Rachel Levine, Secretary of Health during a joint press conference with Governor Wolf on Wednesday, April 22, 2020.
An additional question was asked by News Talk 104.1 of Dr. Levine; in regard to coroners being left in the dark on COVID-19 related deaths being reported to them.
As Governor Wolf outlined at the same press event on Wednesday; the numbers of cases and deaths need to be in minimal numbers and a declining trend for 14 days for a region in Pennsylvania to reopen.
News Talk 104.1 also posed a question to Governor Wolf regarding the Pennsylvania Senate conducting a Thursday hearing on the response of his administration to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Prior to this writing, during a Thursday afternoon press conference, Secretary of Health, Dr. Rachel Levine answered questions, several of which were posed by News Talk 104.1.
However, the first few minutes were used to address the exclusive reporting of News Talk 104.1 on COVID-19 case and death counts irregularities.
The prior News Talk 104.1 Reports on the irregularities are listed below:
URGENT: First 2 COVID-19 Deaths in Lycoming County
EXCLUSIVE: Lycoming County Coroner Kiessling challenges Sec. Levine on COVID-19 death reporting
EXCLUSIVE: Sec. Levine responds to News Talk 104.1 on Coroner concerns and COVID-19 funding
URGENT: Sec. Levine Wednesday COVID-19 update on hold
BREAKING NEWS: Lycoming County has 2 deaths related to COVID-19 removed from list
EXCLUSIVE: Coroner Kiessling Joins News Talk 104.1 Live at 3 p.m.
From the press briefing Thursday afternoon.
Question: With coroners on the front line of this pandemic why are you waiting until next week to hold a call with them as you stated in the Senate hearing earlier today?
Question: Are suicides related to the stress of COVID-19 being reported as COVID-19 deaths?
News Talk 104.1 is working to verify through the Department of Health and Coroner Kiessling if indeed the two deaths previously attributed to Lycoming County were tragically suicides related to the multiples stresses on finances, mental health and underlying medical conditions exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Our news gathering and reporting colleagues at PA Post and Spotlight PA have also picked up on the story of hundreds of COVID-19 deaths vanishing from the Department of Health reporting website.
Sara Simon, provides details in Pa. removes more than 200 deaths from official coronavirus count as questions mount about reporting process, data accuracy
Stay tuned to News Talk 104.1 & 1600 WEJS and talkwilliamsport.com for developments on this story.
News Talk 104.1 & 1600 WEJS are affiliates of PA Post.
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