New York State Team
COVID-19 deaths of nursing home residents in New York have been undercounted by about 50% as poor infection-control practices and understaffing fueled the coronavirus crisis inside the long-term care facilities, a probe by the state Attorney General s Office found.
The blockbuster investigation asserted the state Department of Health s controversial policy to only report COVID-19 deaths of residents inside nursing homes and exclude deaths of residents transferred to hospitals hindered attempts to improve conditions inside the facilities.
The true COVID-19 death toll of New York nursing home residents is closer to 13,000, as opposed to the 8,677 reported to date by the state Department of Health, according to the investigation s findings. Nursing homes might have also undercounted their deaths in reporting to the state, investigators said.