Iowa Department of Public Health makes changes in the way it reports deaths—now says 85 people have died from COVID-19 in NE Iowa

The way in which Iowa is reporting deaths related to COVID-19 on the Iowa Coronavirus Website has changed.  The new methodology has increased the number of deaths reported across the state and by each county.

The change is the result of greater use of antigen test results, which was rarely used in the beginning of the pandemic.  Now death totals from COVID-19 include both deaths for which COVID-19 was the cause and the deaths for which it was a factor.

As a result, COVID-19 deaths in Iowa have increased from 2,721 to 2,898.  In the six NE Iowa counties, COVID-19 deaths have increased to a new total of 85.  Allamakee County's numbers went from 13 to 16 with the change.  Winneshiek County now has 14 deaths; Clayton County now has 20 deaths; Fayette County has 12 deaths; Chickasaw County has 8 deaths and Howard County has 15 deaths.

It is important to point out that switching to the new methodology makes it seem like these additional deaths happened in the last couple of days, that is not entirely the case, but is largely a result of the change in methodology.