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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) — The Florida surgeon general has implemented additional review processes for fatalities attributed to COVID-19 after noticing a data deficiency Wednesday.
Sixteen of the 95 additional deaths attributed to COVID-19 Wednesday had at least a two month separation between the time the individuals tested positive and passed away, the state said. Additionally, 11 of the deaths occurred more than a month ago.
To clear up any possible confusion moving forward, Florida Surgeon General Scott Rivkees says the state will change the way it reviews fatality numbers.
“During a pandemic, the public must be able to rely on accurate public health data to make informed decisions,” Rivkees said. “To ensure the accuracy of COVID-19 related deaths, the Department will be performing additional reviews of all deaths. Timely and accurate data remains a top priority of the Department of Health.”
DeSantis’ press secretary Cody McCloud told NewsNation Tuesday that the state is considering scaling back the frequency of coronavirus data reports.
“There are discussions ongoing as to when the best time to scale back the report frequency. The reasoning behind it is because it requires 24 hour staffing. Information won’t change and quality of the data will remain paramount,” McCloud said.
The state has not yet released the coronavirus data for Wednesday. The numbers are usually sent out before noon.
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