PEORIA, Ill. – Questions have been brought up about how health officials determine and report a death by COVID-19.
How is the total statistic number of deaths reported in an area explained in a medical examiner’s report each day?
Peoria County Coroner Jamie Harwood responded to questions on how the process works after a person is pronounced deceased from COVID-19.
Harwood said it starts with an investigation to the person’s life before they got sick.
Questions include: Was the person under investigation because of a known exposure? Did they have a preexisting condition? Did the person have access to medical care prior before the illness? Was there access to medical records on the person’s prior health?
“If preexisting medical conditions were being managed and the person was brought in for medical treatment with all the given symptoms, then we can determine most likely that the COVID-19 was responsible for their demise.” said Harwood.
Using x-rays to determine how much damage was done to the respiratory system during the illness would be included in the autopsy report and death certificate.
Harwood indicated that if a patient tests positive for COVID-19 and passes away, they do count as a statistic, but there is a very dignified process to determine a very accurate cause of death.
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