County Health Officials Revise Number of COVID-19 Deaths After Further Investigation
Author: Joint Information Center
Date: 8/6/2020 3:18 PM
After further investigation, the County Public Health Department revised the total number of COVID-19 deaths in SLO County from 16 to 15.
Disclaimer: This information may be outdated. For the most recent guidance and case details, visit SLOPublicHealth.org/covid19.
After further investigation, the County Public Health Department revised the total number of COVID-19 deaths in SLO County from 16 to 15. One additional death of a known COVID-19 case is now under investigation.
“We looked further into all reported COVID-19 related deaths because it became known that the circumstances of at least one case was not as clear as the others,” said Dr. Penny Borenstein, County Public Health Officer. “This pandemic is ever-evolving, and we will continue to refine our information as we learn more.”
After further investigation, Public Health officials reclassified one death because it was determined that while COVID-19 may have contributed to their demise, it was not an underlying cause of death as originally thought. The reclassified COVID-19 case was a resident at Vineyard Hills Health Center, a skilled nursing facility in Templeton that had an outbreak of COVID-19 among residents and staff. Public Health officials say that when the COVID-19-positive status of this case became known, the individual was already in the final stages of dying.
Consistent with national standards, the County Public Health Department will continue to classify a known COVID-19 case as a COVID-19 death only if COVID-19 is listed on a death certificate as an underlying cause of death.
In deaths where it is unclear if COVID-19 may have contributed to that person’s demise, those cases will not be listed as a COVID-19 death.
As of today, 2,047 SLO County residents have tested positive for COVID-19, most of whom are recovered.
For updates on COVID-19 in SLO County, visit ReadySLO.org or call the recorded Public Health Information Line at (805) 788-2903. A staffed phone assistance center at (805) 543-2444 is available Monday - Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to assist with questions related to COVID-19.
Funcionarios de salud del condado revisan el número de muertes por COVID-19 después de una investigación adicional
Después de una investigación adicional, el Departamento de Salud Pública del Condado revisó el número total de muertes por COVID-19 en el condado de SLO de 16 a 15. Una muerte adicional de un caso COVID-19 conocido está siendo investigada.
"Analizamos más a fondo todas las muertes relacionadas con COVID-19 porque se supo que las circunstancias de al menos un caso no eran tan claras como las otras", dijo la Dra. Penny Borenstein, Oficial de Salud Pública del Condado. "Esta pandemia está en constante evolución y seguiremos refinando nuestra información a medida que aprendamos más".
Después de una investigación adicional, los funcionarios de Salud Pública reclasificaron una muerte porque se determinó que si bien COVID-19 pudo haber contribuido a su fallecimiento, no fue una causa subyacente de muerte como se pensaba originalmente. El caso COVID-19 reclasificado era residente en Vineyard Hills Health Center, un centro de enfermería especializada en Templeton que tuvo un brote de COVID-19 entre los residentes y el personal. Los funcionarios de Salud Pública dicen que cuando se dio a conocer el estado COVID-19 positivo de este caso, el individuo ya estaba en las etapas finales de la muerte.
Consistente con las normas nacionales, el Departamento de Salud Pública del Condado continuará clasificando un caso COVID-19 conocido como una muerte por COVID-19 sólo si COVID-19 aparece en un certificado de defunción como causa subyacente de muerte.
En las muertes en las que no está claro si COVID-19 pudo haber contribuido al fallecimiento de esa persona, esos casos no se enumerarán como una muerte COVID-19.
Hasta hoy, 2,047 residentes del Condado de SLO han dado positivo a COVID-19, la mayoría de los cuales están recuperados.
Para actualizaciones de COVID-19 en el Condado de SLO, visite ReadySLO.org o llame a la Línea de Información de Salud Pública al (805) 788-2903. Un centro de asistencia telefónica con personal al (805) 543-2444 está disponible de lunes a viernes, de 8 a.m. a 5 p.m. para ayudar con preguntas relacionadas con COVID-19.
