No. 14 - COVID deaths in Newfoundland and Labrador -- who died where?

Newfoundland and Labrador managed to escape the worst of COVID for months as the pandemic raged in the rest of Canada. While the first person to die from the virus died on March 31, 2020, the province existed in relative COVID calm.

That changed months ago and continues to get worse. With rising hospitalizations and widespread infection, deaths have also continued to rise. In the past week, there have been seven deaths, including the first death of someone in their 30s.

While NL’s case rate places it 8th of 13 among the provinces and territories of total COVID cases (all the inadequate testing caveats included) it’s death rate remains relatively low: 27 deaths per 100,000 people. Indeed, getting caught in a COVID wave post-vaccination is better than having getting caught in on in 2020. Quebec, the province hit hardest, fast and first by COVID, has a stunning death rate of 170 per 100,000 residents. But unlike Quebec, what we don’t know is the number of people who died per institution in the province.

Quebec reports deaths per residential facility daily, even if the number of deaths is just one. So does BC. Ontario reports that there has been a death, and once the number of deaths climbs above five, they release the specific number of deaths per facility.

But in NL, the numbers have been released as a lump sum, ostensibly to protect privacy.

According to the Department of Health and Community Services, of the 142 people who have died from COVID, 97 of them died in hospital, 36 died in long-term care or a personal care home and nine died in “other” — including palliative care and private dwellings.

What these figures don’t tell us is how many of the people who died in hospital, or caught COVID while they were in hospital. While the number is unlikely 0, other provincial ratios would suggest that some number, likely fewer than 10, caught COVID while they were already in hospital. I’ve asked the Ministry for clarification on this.

Until now, all that I’ve been able to gather about deaths in NL demonstrated that religious and spiritual events have been particularly deadly in that province. With no worker deaths reported (that I’ve seen, anyway), the only outbreak-related death data I’ve gathered have been in the “other” category: three deaths related to an outbreak at United Pentecostal Church in Bishop’s Falls, and one death related to the Caul’s Funeral Home outbreak (the province’s first COVID death). Clearly, we need more transparency related to who has died of this virus in NL.

It’s a funny coincidence that I got this data just before I left for St. John’s. If you’re in that city on Friday night, come out to this event and grab your copy of my latest book Spin Doctors: https://www.facebook.com/events/997228334256976