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Unacceptable: Unreported COVID-19 deaths raise questions

Administrators at 70 facilities in West Virginia have some explaining to do as the state begins its investigation into how 168 coronavirus deaths went unreported. According to Gov. Jim Justice, it is believed most of the facilities are hospitals and nursing homes, where employees failed to fill out death reports online for the state health department.

“This is absolutely not acceptable,” Justice said. “I’m really sorry.”

Justice also said the names of the facilities that dropped the ball will be reported. Good.

If West Virginians are to make informed decisions about the safest way to move forward, we need to be confident we aren’t missing more than 7 percent of the necessary data.

Dr. Ayne Amjad, the state’s health officer, said the state is also trying to figure out whether there are any more unreported deaths. For now, we also do not have a timeline. Are these recent deaths? Do they throw off our plan to ease restrictions?

Justice appeared upset during the press briefing in which he revealed the reporting gap. He and all Mountain State residents have a right to be concerned about this revelation. It comes only a few months after the November discovery that dozens of deaths had not been reported as coronavirus-related. It will be important to find out whether there are any repeat offender facilities in this most recent round.

In the midst of a deadly pandemic, the last thing about which our communities should be worried is whether our hospitals and nursing facilities are organized and conscientious enough to properly do their jobs.

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