Questions are being raised about Florida’s coronavirus death toll reporting after a man who died in a motorcycle accident was listed in the COVID-19 death count.
Dr. Raul Pino, an Orange County health officer, told Fox 35 News that a supposed coronavirus victim in his 20s died in a motorcycle crash and didn’t have any underlying conditions.
“I don’t think so. I have to double-check,” Pino said when asked if the fatality had been removed from the death count. “We were arguing, discussing, or trying to argue with the state. Not because of the numbers — it’s 100 … it doesn’t make any difference if it’s 99 — but the fact that the individual didn’t die from COVID-19 … died in the crash. But you could actually argue that it could have been the COVID-19 that caused him to crash. I don’t know the conclusion of that one.”
“More questions about Florida’s #COVID19 data tonight after state health official tells us a person who died in a motorcycle accident was added to the state’s coronavirus death count,” Fox 35 reporter Danielle Lama tweeted in response to the news.
More questions about Florida’s #COVID19 data tonight after state health official tells us a person who died in a motorcycle accident was added to the state’s coronavirus death count. Story at 10 #FOX35News
— Danielle Lama (@DLama_FOX35) July 17, 2020
An investigation, conducted by Fox 35 News, shows that positivity rates from coronavirus testing were much lower than the state’s health department reported.
Questions about coronavirus death reporting have been raised throughout the country, including in Pennsylvania, Colorado, and New Jersey, along with a statement from White House coronavirus response team member Dr. Deborah Birx in May suggesting that cases could be inflated by as much as 25%. However, other health officials and virology experts argue that cases are actually being undercounted.
