In a shocking revelation, new analysis of death counts in the Australian state of Victoria shows that Coronavirus is now the #1 killer in the state, ahead of heart disease and cancer.
Of the 41,000 deaths in the state in 2020, only 820 had previously been attributed to coronavirus (COVID-19).
However, a new analysis by The Ostrich Head using the Victorian government COVID-19 methodology shows that this grossly understated the real death toll from this deadly pathogen
The Victorian government’s methodology for determining cause of death for COVID-19, which is the same in most parts of the world (e.g. the US), determines that anyone who contracts COVID-19 and subsequently dies is a COVID-19 death, even if they die in a motorbike accident.
Surprisingly, this amazingly broad classification (if you can call it that) is actually more stringent than the WHO guidelines, which state that a COVID death includes a death in a confirmed or probable COVID-19 case.
In our analysis of Victoria’s deaths in 2020, around 4,000 died of respiratory diseases, of which around 98% are associated with coronaviruses. In addition, we estimate that at least 19,500 had either caught a cold ore been exposed to someone with a cold within 3 months of death. Given that coronaviruses cause 20% of colds, and applying Dan Andrew’s methodology, 20% of these deaths were therefore coronavirus deaths, bringing the total to 7,860.
Including the 820 COVID-19 deaths and subtracting those who died of pneumonia and respiratory failure (74.5%; we wouldn’t want to double count of course), there were a total of 8,064 coronavirus deaths in Victoria in 2020.
On the upside, almost nobody died of pneumonia or the flu. In fact, Victoria’s recorded 244 fewer deaths in 2020 than in 2019.
But stay safe anyway. We already have 4 coronaviruses. One more could be deadly.
Wear a mask people. Because it’s the law and studies demonstrate how effective it is.
It may not make any more sense than “Staying apart keeps us together” Just don’t ask. It’s an emergency.
P
