'Excess' deaths raise concerns about pandemic’s death toll in Florida

'Excess' deaths raise concerns about pandemic’s death toll in Florida

SURGERIES BASED ON HOW MANY BEDSTHEY HAVE... AND BRINGING INMORE STAFF.TONIGHT AS THE NUMBER OFPOSITIVE CASES CONTINUES TOINCREASE IN FLORIDA 4 IN YOURCORNER INVESTIGATOR KATIELAGRONE HAS BEEN ANALYZING STATEDATA ON WHO’S DYING DURING THEPANDEMICAND DISCOVERS WHY THETRUE DEATH TOLL IS LIKELY HIGHERTHAN WHAT THE STATEREPORTING.(35-45)(1:59-205)AS FLORIDA MAKES NATIONALHEADLINES FOR BECOMING THE"world’s new epicenter ofCOVID-19" REACHING RECORD HIGHSFOR DEATHS AND HOSPITALIZATIONSDATA WE’VE ANALYZED SUGGEST THEPANDEMIC’S MOST EXTREME IMPACTSON THE SUNSHINE STATE MAY BEDEADLIER THAN WHAT STATE LEADERSHAVE TOLD THE PUBLIC.3:12- we’re undercounting theCOVID 19 related deathsDR. TOM SAI IS A SURGEON ANDHEALTH POLICY RESEARCHER ATHARVARD UNIVERSITY.HE SAYS THE TRUE COST OF THEPANDEMIC CAN BEST BE DESCRIBEDBY SOMETHING CALLED EXCESSMORTALITY00:43- across states and at thenational level we’re seeing anuptick of deaths in whatotherwise would have beenpredicted during the timeperiod.LET ME EXPLAINgraphic-THIS IS THE AVERAGE NUMBER OFDEATHS IN FLORIDA DURING THEMONTH OF APRIL OVER THE PAST 5YEARS.YOU CAN SEE EACH APRIL, ABOUT17,000 PEOPLE DIE IN OUR STATEBUT THIS PAST APRI━ THAT NUMBERSPIKED TO MORE THAN 19,000WHICH MEANS THERE WERE MORE THAN2000 DEATHS ABOVE AND BEYONDWHAT WAS EXPECTED UNDER NORMALCONDITIONS.THIS IS WHAT THE HEALTH WORLDCALLS EXCESS MORTALIT━3:19- it gives us the sense ofthe true magnitude the pandemicisTHE STATE ONLY ATTRIBUTEDCOVID-19 TO JUST OVER 1000DEATHS ITREPORTED IN APRILDR. TSAI EXPLAINS WHY SOME OFTHE REST OF THOSE DEATHS COULDALSO BE ATTRIBUTED TO THEPANDEMIC1:57- part of deaths may be dueto non covid conditions thingslike heart attacks or cancer orstroke who were not able toreceive care during pandemiceither bc of fear of catchingcovid in the hospital setting orhospitals had to postpone carein order to create capacity tomeet the need of COVID 19 cases.2:25you have to understand both tounderstand the true cost of thepandemicA LOOK AT THE PAST 6 MONTHSSHOWS WHY HEALTH EXPERTS ARECONCERNED.FROM JANUARY TO JUNEFLORIDAREPORTED MORE THAN 8600 EXCESSDEATHS━ MORE THAN DOUBLE WHATTHE STATE HAS ATTRIBUTED SO FARTO COVID-19.14:35- its as close to a smokinggun as you get there’s somethinggoing on.DR. TROY QUAST IS A HEALTHRESEARCHER AT THE UNIVERSITY OFSOUTH FLORIDA.

HE SAYS THEINCREASE IN EXCESS MORTALITYDATA IS A SIGN THE STATE MAY BEUNDERPLAYING THE VIRUSAND ITSTRUE DEATH TOLL ON FLORIDA.5:07- it does leave you to thinkthere might be moreinvestigation neededDR. TSAI AGREESAND WARNS WITHTHE STATE’S RECENT SURGE INCASE━ FLORIDA’S DEATH RATE WILLGO UPWHILE FLORIDA’S WINDOW TOCONTROL IT IS QUICKLY CLOSING.14:17- this is not the time forhalf measures.

This is a timefor focused action to trulyflatten the curve on thepandemic in Florida.

We don’twant to see the pandemic showitself in the fatality numbersthat’s too little too late.TAGWE LOOKED AT DATA AS OFYESTERDAY BUT THAT COUNT ISCONSTANTLY CHANGING BECAUSEDEATH RECORDS ARE CONSTANTLYBEING CERTIFIED SO MEASURINGFLORIDA’S DEATH TOLL FRO