Posted on 04/22/2020 6:24:39 AM PDT by kvanbrunt2
WILLIAMSPORT – The Lycoming County coroner is accusing the state Health Department of “Monday morning quarterbacking deaths” in connection with the coronavirus.
Charles E. Kiessling Jr., who also is president of the Pennsylvania State Coroners Association, voiced his opinion Tuesday when asked if he had any information on the two COVID-19 deaths in the county as reported by the Health Department. Kiessling said that he "was shocked upon learning there were two deaths” because none has been reported to him. He checked with the hospitals in the county and previously asked nursing homes to notify him of any deaths, he said.
He plans to ask the state for information because he said as far as he is concerned Lycoming County has had no deaths. He said he believes if a county resident died elsewhere that someone would have notified his office.
In a Facebook message, Kiessling said in his capacity as coroner there are zero “official deaths” in the county.
He urged residents going forward to refer to his Facebook page for official Lycoming County information.
RELATED: Where to buy face masks, bandanas, scarves to wear in public during coronavirus pandemic RELATED: ‘I don’t want to see them in my ICU’: Healthcare workers react to protest at the Capitol Sullivan County Coroner Wendy Hastings also is puzzled why the state attributes one death in that county to COVID-19.
She does not know of anyone testing positive in that county let alone dying, she said. She checked with the two medical clinics and funeral directors, she said.
The law requires deaths from infectious diseases to be reported to coroners, Kiessling said. The Health Department is not doing that, he said.
“I think we’re falsely inflating the numbers,” he said, referring to Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine’s explanation during a Tuesday press conference that state data now includes probable cause deaths, which help provide a more complete picture of the COVID-19 situation in the state.
Is an individual who tested positive for the coronavirus, recovers but later dies being listed as a COVID-19 death, he asked.
Another issue Kiessling has with the Health Department is its directive to use the electronic death registry system for COVID-19 cases. He recommends staying with paper death certificates, he said.
UPDATE, 9 a.m. April 22:
The Pittsburgh Post Gazette reports that Kiessling believes the problem is rooted in the state’s request early on that all medical death certifiers — typically doctors at hospitals, nursing homes or medical examiners — send COVID-19-related death reports to the state electronically, rather than rely on information provided solely by county coroners or medical examiners.
He told the Post-Gazette that that created a confusing system.
The state disagrees. “The department believes that the current structure of handling deaths, where medical professionals handle deaths in which they attend to, is appropriate,” Health Department spokesman Nate Wardle told the Post-Gazette. “This is what happens for other diseases, such as the flu.”
The Pittsburgh Post Gazette reports that Kiessling believes the problem is rooted in the state’s request early on that all medical death certifiers — typically doctors at hospitals, nursing homes or medical examiners — send COVID-19-related death reports to the state electronically, rather than rely on information provided solely by county coroners or medical examiners.
Not sure what they means...
PA Ping List Request
In before the fearpers.
They have financial and political incentives to cook the books. Who could fairly believe they aren’t doing so?
I live in Allegheny County, and am shocked by how low the death count is here, given we have such an old population. No wonder the crooked State is trying to “cheat.”
You think! Fiscally there is either a $13,000 or $36,000 reason to lie!
Politically, I am hearing the there are Lib States which are inflating Covid-19 deaths to hurt Trump.
I think Pittsburgh really took to the social distancing because everyone here knows that we have the oldest population outside of Florida and nearly everyone knows someone who is vulnerable. Lots and lots of nursing homes here.
That being said I think it’s totally possible to protect those without this degree of shutdown.
Anybody check out Dr. Rachel Levine? This is what happens when your Physician General is selected for politics instead of competence.
This is much ado about nothing.
Coroners are generally only called on unattended deaths. Die under care like in a hospital where most Wu-Flu victims are going to die will not result in the coroner being notified.
“I think we’re falsely inflating the numbers...”
Gee ya think?
Are you saying you don’t think he’s hot?
Same with this Lamont guy in Connecticut...
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8193487/Coroner-refuses-rule-COVID-19-cause-death-six-week-old-Connecticut-baby.html
If I am CV19 positive and die in a head on is the cause of death CV19..Nope. But Ct would report it as such
Bradford County coroner is calling starting to call BS as well. DOH is saying 3 deaths there, only one of them is a PA resident and the the other two are NY.
DOH is telling the hospitals to contact them directly. It is the County Coroner that says cause of death. The State is bypassing the coroner and is inflating the numbers in my opinion.
Well at least they are quarterbacking
Rush and many here are just Monday morning Waterboying
That thing was a pediatrician too
Scary stuff
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