How does B.C. count its COVID-19 death toll?

By

NEWS 1130 is working hard to get you the information you need about the COVID-19 pandemic.

When you have questions, NEWS 1130 Gets Answers.

Question:

Donald: “If a person dies of anything but is determined to be positive for the COVID-19 virus, [is] that person’s death included in the coronavirus death totals?”

Answer:

If COVID-19 contributes to someone’s death, they will be added to the official tally, regardless of whether they died directly from the infection or from complications caused by the virus.

“If the clinician or coroner indicates COVID is at least one of the causes of death, then it is included,” Ministry of Health spokesperson Paula Smith said.

B.C. has added “several” deaths attributed to COVID-19 from patients who had recovered from the infection but later died from complications such as a blood clot in the lungs, she said.

Smith said there are few scenarios in which someone would die while infected with COVID-19 and not be added to the official coronavirus death toll.

“The only scenario where it may not be included would be something like someone positive for COVID goes outside and gets hit by a car and the injuries from the car crash causes their death,” she said.

As of Wednesday, Aug. 5, B.C. had recorded 195 COVID-19 related deaths.

Got a question you want answered? Submit it here.

Top Stories

Top Stories

Most Watched Today