Faber: Release separate COVID-19 death data

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The Ohio Health Department should begin releasing data on coronavirus deaths in two categories: those whose death was caused by COVID-19, and those who died of other causes but also had a positive test, the state auditor said in a report.

Not making the distinction "may lead to confusion for the layperson as to whether an individual died by COVID-19 or died with COVID-19," said the report from office of Republican state Auditor Keith Faber.

While the state follows federal guidelines for coronavirus death reporting, some medical professionals may fill out death certificates for people who died of other causes while also testing positive for COVID 19, according to the report.

"Although inefficiencies, opportunities to improve transparency, and methods to collect better data certainly exist, the Ohio Department of Health has generally provided the public with correct information and managed Ohio's response to the pandemic commendably," Faber said Tuesday.

Ohio has reported more than 18,300 coronavirus deaths to date. The seven-day rolling average of daily deaths in Ohio did not increase over the past two weeks, going from 12.71 on March 8 to 7 on March 22, according to an Associated Press analysis of data provided by The COVID Tracking Project.

In February, the state said it had discovered thousands of unreported coronavirus deaths and announced a restructuring of its infectious disease division.