HARRISBURG, Pa. — The number of COVID-19 deaths and the way it’s being reported will look a bit different moving forward.
"We have done a lot of work to analyze the tremendous amount of data that we continue to receive regarding COVID-19 deaths," said PA State Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine.
The department of health will now look at COVID-19 deaths using the Electronic Death Reporting System to get more updated information.
Levine said, "Counties will now see some differences in their counts.”
For example, here’s a look at Cumberland and Dauphin counties.
On May 17th, Cumberland had 48 deaths and Dauphin had 39.
Then on May 18th, Cumberland had 41 deaths and Dauphin had 50.
Levine explains how this mostly impacts deaths in nursing homes.
"They are included based on their county of legal residence and that’s listed on their death record. That might not be where their nursing home is. They will also be attributed to the number of deaths at their facility, even if that facility is in a different county than their county of residence."
The department of health says it will not be double-dipping those deaths.
On its website, there will be one section total death counts and one for long term facility death counts.
Levine says those may not add up.
The DOH is also gathering more details on the people who have died.
"Which includes race, ethnicity, gender, age, and co-morbidities and we are doing this statewide.”
You can find the latest COVID-19 death information in PA here.