Santa Clara County Adjusts Criteria For COVID-Related Deaths

SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CA — The number of deaths attributed to COVID-19 in Santa Clara County since the beginning of the pandemic has been reduced by approximately 22 percent after the county’s public health department refined its criteria for defining a COVID-related death.

The county had attributed over 2,200 deaths to COVID-19 as of Thursday, according to the dashboard. The new definition of a COVID-related death focuses on the cause of the death and aligns with other counties statewide, according to the county. The prior definition included anyone who had COVID-19 at the time of death.

Under the new criteria, the number of deaths attributed to COVID-19 would be reduced by nearly 500 people. But COVID-19 remains the third-leading cause of death in Santa Clara County residents in 2020, even after the updated definition.

Dr. Sarah Rudman, the county’s assistant public health officer, said in a news release Friday that county officials have recently had the opportunity to analyze the deaths that came in during the height of the pandemic.

“This refined approach to reporting death data will help us look back to better understand what happened in our county and look forward to better protect the health of our community in the future,” Rudman said. “At the same time, our hearts go out to all families and loved ones of those we have lost during the pandemic, regardless of whether their deaths were ultimately attributed to COVID-19.”