Prepositions make a difference in reporting COVID deaths

By Terry Murry on Tuesday, February 2nd, 2021 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories

PENDLETON – One of the most confusing elements of the Oregon Health Authority’s data during the pandemic is that of deaths. Umatilla County Public Health Director Joseph Fiumara said that it doesn’t mean the novel coronavirus was the cause of those deaths.

“Anybody who tests positive for COVID and dies for essentially any reason within 60 days is considered to have died with COVID,” Fiumara said.

Fiumara said there’s a big difference between dying with and dying from something.

“When we report the deaths, we are not saying people have died from the disease specifically, simply that they had tested positive within 60 days and, under Oregon’s definitions, their body contained the virus.”