New York City Backdates Thousands of Presumed COVID-19 Deaths

Patients and medical workers wear personal protective equipment due to COVID-19 concerns outside the emergency room at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City on April 13, 2020. John Minchillo/AP Photo

New York City included thousands of deaths, some of which happened weeks ago, in its updated COVID-19 death count on Tuesday.

The newly counted deaths are presumed to be caused by COVID-19 because doctors were confident enough to list the disease or “an equivalent” on the patients’ death certificates despite the diagnosis not being confirmed by laboratory tests.