Washington D.C., Jan 28, 2021 / 10:42 am
New York's health department may have underreported COVID-19 nursing home deaths by 50%, an investigation by the state's attorney general found.
In a report released on Thursday, the office of New York Attorney General Letitia James said that the state undercounted the number of nursing home deaths due to the virus. In addition, certain actions by the state and by nursing homes put vulnerable residents at risk during the pandemic, the office claimed.
Charles Camosy, a theology professor at Fordham University, told CNA on Thursday that the report's findings "demonstrate a classic instance of throwaway culture."
Nursing homes around the U.S. have seen some of the highest rates of death due to the coronavirus. In May, one report found that more than 40% of U.S. COVID-19 deaths occurred in nursing homes or assisted-living facilities.