As we all review the local novel coronavirus numbers, it is important to know that the number of deaths due to the virus are likely under-counted.  That is based on a YouTube video posted April 27th by the Hamilton County Health Department.

Jeff Jellison of the Hamilton County Reporter wrote a front page story in the April 29th edition of The Reporter saying “that the county’s COVID-19 death rate could be nearly three times more than reported.”

Here is the entire text of Jellison’s story:

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Hamilton County health officials announced Monday that the county’s COVID-19 death rate could be nearly three times more than reported.

Chris Walker of the Hamilton County Health Department said in an interview with Hamilton County Communications Director Tammy Sander that probable COVID-19 deaths are not included in the confirmed deaths being reported. Probable COVID-19 deaths are physicians attributing COVID-19 to the cause of death, but not having an actual test done on the patient.  According to Walker, doctors can look at X-rays and CT scans of the patient and determine without a test that most likely COVID-19 was a cause of death.

On Tuesday, the Indiana State Department of Health reported 58 confirmed COVID-19 deaths in the county. In addition, the state reported 91 total COVID-19 probable deaths, bringing the county’s death count to a potential total of 149 people.

According to Walker, Indiana should be seeing the peak in COVID-19 this week. “Looking at the numbers quickly it looks like we might be hitting that.”

Walker also said the county is now working with municipalities to find the right way to get people back to work and open up the local economy.

“Be patient and understand this is a process,” Walker said. “The target is moving. We may open up business, we may open it up and find that we need to take a step back, reevaluate and reassess, and attack it again.”

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The most recent official numbers from Hamilton County report 6,075 total COVID-19 tests conducted, 729 positive results with 58 deaths.

You can access the Chris Walker video posted April 27th at this link.