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LAST UPDATE | 3 Jul 2020
This article was originally published on 21 May but was republished on 3 July following the publication of a Hiqa report that noted a 13% increase in deaths in Ireland during the Covid-19 pandemic, but found that the number of Covid-related deaths may have been overestimated.
SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS questioning why some deaths are categorised as being due to Covid-19 are being widely shared in Ireland.
The posts, some of which originate here and some of which are from abroad, typically claim that the virus is being incorrectly listed as the cause of death for someone who has recently died.
Members of the public and people who identify themselves as healthcare workers have said they are aware of cases where people’s deaths were listed as being caused by Covid-19 despite them apparently not being tested for the virus or testing negative.
In some instances, people have claimed that the person in question died from another illness, such as cancer or heart failure, but their death was listed as being due to Covid-19.
A number of posts being shared on platforms such as Facebook and WhatsApp go so far as to claim that people’s deaths are being intentionally miscategorised to inflate the figures.
Some people have alleged that this is being done in an attempt to make the pandemic seem worse than it is, in part to push for travel and other restrictions to remain in place.
TheJournal.ie contacted the Department of Health and the HSE to clarify how deaths from Covid-19 – be they confirmed, probable or possible – are categorised here.
A spokesperson for the department said Ireland “has sought to follow international guidance and advice” from organisations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC) in relation to counting deaths.
They noted that, from the outset of the coronavirus pandemic, Ireland has “reported all deaths in laboratory confirmed cases of Covid-19, in both hospital and community settings, unlike many other countries which have reported deaths in hospitalised cases only”.
The spokesperson told us that the reporting of Covid-19 deaths was extended in mid-April to include deaths in probable Covid-19 cases, as well as confirmed cases, in line with updated guidance issued by the WHO last month.
This guidance – which was issued on 16 April can be read in full here – states the following:
A death due to COVID-19 is defined for surveillance purposes as a death resulting from a clinically compatible illness, in a probable or confirmed COVID-19 case, unless there is a clear alternative cause of death that cannot be related to COVID disease (e.g. trauma).
“There should be no period of complete recovery from COVID-19 between illness and death. A death due to COVID-19 may not be attributed to another disease (e.g. cancer) and should be counted independently of pre-existing conditions that are suspected of triggering a severe course of COVID-19.”
Death certificates
The document adds that Covid-19 “should be recorded on the medical certificate of cause of death for ALL decedents (deceased people) where the disease caused, or is assumed to have caused, or contributed to death”.
The guidelines also note that if the person who died was suffering from other conditions, these should also be included on the death certificate.
For example, in cases where Covid-19 caused pneumonia and fatal respiratory distress, both pneumonia and respiratory distress should be included on the certificate, along with the virus, to highlight the “chain of events” that led to the person’s death.
The guidelines note there is “increasing evidence that people with existing chronic conditions or compromised immune systems due to disability are at higher risk of death due to COVID-19″.
The document adds that if the person who died had a non-communicable disease such as coronary artery disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or diabetes, this should also be reported on their death certificate.
The Department of Health said that, in following the WHO’s guidance, it has “sought to provide the fullest and most accurate picture possible of the impact of Covid-19″.
Probable or possible Covid-19 deaths
Of the 1,547 deaths related to Covid-19 reported in Ireland as of 18 May, the HSE’s Health Protection Surveillance Centre said 1,294 were confirmed to be due to the virus and 253 were listed as “probable cases”.
The Department of Health said it “understands that the monitoring of Covid-19 cases is a live process with information being collected continuously” and “has been advised that data validation exercises are regularly carried out by public health authorities in the HSE”.
The spokesperson added that the department wished to express its “sincere condolences to the families of those who have passed away as a result” of the virus.
When asked how Covid-19 deaths are recorded, a spokesperson for the HSE told TheJournal.ie: “In cases where an individual who has had a positive Covid-19 test before or after death, this will be notified to the national surveillance system and reported by HPSC as a death in a confirmed Covid-19 case.”
They added that where the treating doctor has “a strong clinical suspicion” the patient had Covid-19 “due to the circumstances” and “the nature of the illness” but where the person has tested negative for the virus, or not been tested at all, these deaths will be notified to the national surveillance system and reported by the HPSC as a death in a “probable/possible Covid-19 case”.
If it is later confirmed that the patient in question did not have the virus, their death is removed from the official figures.
When announcing the latest figures in its daily press release, the Department of Health sometimes includes the following line: “Validation of data at the HPSC has resulted in the denotification of x death(s).” This is generally a low number and indicates that a death previously listed as being caused or probably caused by Covid-19 was later found to be incorrectly categorised.
The HSE spokesperson said there are “different reasons as to why Covid-19 deaths would be denotified, for example, test results pending which are subsequently negative or validation of data which may identify duplicate entries”.
“The Computerised Infectious Disease Reporting (CIDR) surveillance system to which deaths are reported is a live dynamic system and is constantly being validated and updated,” they added.
********
There is a lot of false news and scaremongering being spread in Ireland at the moment about coronavirus. Here are some practical ways for you to assess whether the messages that you’re seeing – especially on WhatsApp – are true or not.
STOP, THINK AND CHECK
Look at where it’s coming from. Is it someone you know? Do they have a source for the information (e.g. the HSE website) or are they just saying that the information comes from someone they know? A lot of the false news being spread right now is from people claiming that messages from ‘a friend’ of theirs. Have a look yourself – do a quick Google search and see if the information is being reported elsewhere.
Secondly, get the whole story, not just a headline. A lot of these messages have got vague information (“all the doctors at this hospital are panicking”) and don’t mention specific details. This is often – but not always a sign – that it may not be accurate.
Finally, see how you feel after reading it. A lot of these false messages are designed to make people feel panicked. They’re deliberately manipulating your feelings to make you more likely to share it. If you feel panicked after reading something, check it out and see if it really is true.
TheJournal.ie’s FactCheck is a signatory to the International Fact-Checking Network’s Code of Principles. You can read it here. For information on how FactCheck works, what the verdicts mean, and how you can take part, check out our Reader’s Guide here. You can read about the team of editors and reporters who work on the factchecks here
Have you gotten a message on WhatsApp or Facebook or Twitter about coronavirus that you’re not sure about and want us to check it out? Message or mail us and we’ll look into debunking it. WhatsApp: 085 221 4696 or Email: answers@thejournal.ie
This is all about blame, the government wants the ability to point to a quango and blame it on the future hikes in energy and fuel prices, but we all know it them pushing the failed green ajenda and making ordinary people poorer.
@087 bed: Yep Germany closed down their nuclear and coal electricity plants, and bought into the renewables like wind and solar, but when they turned off their cheap russian gas, it exposed the whole scam!
@Dave Callaghan: What scam? Nuclear and renewables were never claimed to be able to fully replace gas. It is much cheaper and cleaner to use gas generation than coal. Without renewables and nuclear, the impact of the Russian gas reduction would’ve been much greater
@087 bed: The ‘quango’ is entirely in your imagination.
@Brendan O’Brien: Brendan. The quango is enabled by the EU, who won’t change how the price of electricity is decided.
Under the rules they dreamed up, the price is decided by whichever is the most expensive at a given time.
Say wind is cheap at the moment and gas is the dearest. The gas price is what is charged for all the electricity.
@Donal Ronan: How come we pay the most for electricity in the E.U. so?
@Brian D’Arcy: Brian. It would be worth your while reading Mario Draghi’s report and what he says about decoupling electricity prices.
The electricity company bosses nearly had heart attacks.
Electricity prices are decided by the dearest at a given time, which is usually gas. Even though gas doesn’t generate as much electricity anymore.
We are stuck with the same EU rules. Hence high prices, which for everything in Ireland is higher.
The wind guys must be laughing.
I love when they say energy security and independence.
Note to new justice minister– we need a huge detention centre built pronto to hold all the illegal immigrants until they can be sent back to wherever they came from. And FFS start enforcing our immigration laws !!!
”Eighty-five percent of people who applied for international protection at Dublin Airport in 2023 arrived without a correct identity document. In total, 4,712 people arrived at Dublin Airport and claimed asylum in 2023; 4,007 had either no or false identity documents” …breaking news.ie 12 August 2024
Were all these unvetted illegals locked up?… No
Less woke politics and more law and order please!!
”State spent €2.5m per day in 2024 to house International Protectction applicants” -breakingnews.ie 2024.
”airlines fined €2.5m in last two years for flying in passengers without travel documents” Irish examiner 2024
That’s an example of open borders woke politics. Rodders and Helen have an awful lot to answer for. I hope Rodders gets no speaking time in the next Dail the git
@Finn Barr: we need an effective robust immigration system. One where is based on those vulnerable and in need of protection. Additionally the numbers who are coming via Belfast and not through an official port of entry into Ireland and rocking up to the justice office to apply for protection with no identification. The department of education and all the “third level” colleges need to be brought to the table, the number of people who are claiming aslyum while also attending a third level college paying third level fees but applying for aslyum and getting free accommodation!
At least we’ve no more Tweeting Roderic, inviting the dregs of the 3rd world here and it looks like the days of Helen McEntee handing out Irish citizenships like confetti are over, thank phuk.
Michael Healy Rae for the climate job (just to piss off the Greens)
@Dave Callaghan: i think Danny for that portfolio would piss the greens off even more.We might even get the gas storage plant at Ballylongford.
Please let Healy ray be in charge of energy. Pleeeeeease
Not a good time to piśś off our most important trading partner by needlessly involving ourselves in the Gaza/Israel conflict.
Perhaps our new buddies in South Africa can advise on energy policy.
Like us, they cannot run their own country properly, or even keep the lights on, but see fit to interfere in the internal conflict in Israel.
@Thomas Sheridan: South Africa’s energy policy is about 3 hours electricity per day. Then during the blackouts they rob all the copper off the power lines. The natives really made a lovely job of that country since they got it back!!!
This is the South African parliament
@Thomas Sheridan: I presume you are talking about the US. The US isn’t our most important trading partner. That’s Europe, and if Israel is brought to book, what harm. I’m equally annoyed with Hamas, etc, but far too many innocents have died during this war and it needs to stop. We have the Israeli Government pulling their Embassy, we’ve had our soldiers( peacekeepers) shot at and harassed by the IDF.
It’s time to end this.
@Thomas Sheridan: So it’s needlessly to speak out about a war where tens of thousands of innocent people are being killed?. So why don’t we stop needlessly getting involved in Ukraine/Russia conflict and the rest of the world conflicts?. Best to stay out of all them and not be selective wouldn’t you say.
@Paul O’Mahoney: Europe isn’t a country, and America is our biggest export market according to the OTB article in today’s Irish Independent.
It also raises the question that I have. Why set ourselves apart from our EU partners in this regard. And for what benefit.
Ireland could have played a more constructive role in the conflict by acting as an independent honest broker rather than a bully to Israel and throwing our lot in with Hamas terrorists.
It simply isn’t our fight.
Its showboating on the international stage and Celtic Tiger type hubris, at a time when we cannot provide housing for our own population.
I note that Ireland is funding new water pipe infrastructure there. Presumably to replace the ones that were dug up to make missiles to be fired at Israeli civilians.
@Finn Barr: it must make the Dunnes Store boycotted really proud
@Enoch Kochwomble: Why should I be told to move to a basket case country for simply expressing a legitimate view that is the same as one of our MEPs today.
Presumably, you would have no problem with the dregs from SA illegally coming here.
Your comment is symptomatic of the Loony Left intolerance to diverse opinions.
FFG may yet rue that they won the election, lots of nasty stuff coming down the track!
@Brian Hunt: Like what? I’m not saying there’s only sunshine and lollipops awaiting us but I would like get read what people think.
As long as McEntee is out that’s fine.
The one glaring issue is getting the likes of Fisheries, Forests and Wildlife into one Dept, like in North America, the very first move being to amalgamate IFI and NPWS and probably EPA as well. At present they are being deliberately held toothless.
Also it will virtually need a new Dept. to oversee getting rid of that asine “no Nuclear” leglislation and planning for achieving our Climate oblgations before we end up paying vast sums to the French on one hand and loosing a large whack of Big Tech and their Data on the other.
I would like to think that Mr.Martin and Mr.Harris have discussed the next US Ambassador?
Make Kilgarvan Great Again
Big task to repair Ireland Energy infrastructure after years of mismanagement by Chief Muppet Ryan.
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