Russia said many coronavirus patients died of other causes and their official COVID-19 mortality is questionable

In Russia, there is a growing debate over how coronaviruses must exacerbate existing conditions in order for coronaviruses to be recorded as a cause of death, which is why Russia’s mortality rate is so low. There is a possibility.

Liubov Kashaeva, 74, tested twice positive for COVID-19 before she died in a hospital in Moscow earlier this month, but her death was not due to a virus. It was attributed to the cancer she was suffering from.

Ms Kashaeva is one of the thousands of Russians infected with COVID-19, whose deaths are attributed to other causes.

Russia has the second highest number of infections in the world, with more than 308,000 cases worldwide and 2,972 deaths.

According to numbers compiled by Johns Hopkins University, these numbers produce a mortality rate of 1.88 per 100,000 Russians.

The equivalent number in the United States, which has the highest number of cases in the world, is 27.61 per 100,000 Americans and 52.45 in the United Kingdom.

In Australia, 100 people have died of the virus, the rate is 0.40.

Russia defends that way

“We are now fully familiar with all the properties of COVID-19,” said pathologist Oleg Zairatyants, author of the Moscow Ministry of Health Guidelines for Coronavirus Autopsy.

“The results (of the analysis) are objective and expressed by the committee … Unfortunately people are dying, but their cause of death is clear to us,” even when he said, He was also asked about deaths not due to COVID-19. Someone was virus positive.

However, the relatives of some deceased patients argue that their loved ones might have died without the virus.

Kashaeva was diagnosed with late bowel cancer in January, but she plans to start chemotherapy and her family expected she would spend more time with her.

On May 3, Kashaeva was debilitated and was hospitalized. The scan showed she developed pneumonia in both lungs, a common symptom of coronavirus infection, and two tests were performed and tested positive.

Just five days later, May 8, Kashaeva died.

“If it wasn’t for the coronavirus, chemotherapy would have delayed her for a while.”

“We do not hide anything”

Moscow, the epicenter of the Russian coronavirus outbreak, reports that more than 60% of the deaths of people infected with coronavirus in April fell short of that death to other causes.

The Moscow Ministry of Health cites Russia’s more accurate way of counting deaths from coronaviruses than any other country, citing the benefits of a national inspection program with more than 7 million tests.

Kornilova said the decision on how to classify the mother-in-law’s death “feeled to be party policy.”

“And to my knowledge, for now, the party lines say … the death toll in Russia should be as low as possible.”

Kremlin said the use of Russian autopsy to determine the cause of death sets it apart from many Western European countries, which, unlike Russia, do not rely on postmortem analysis.

Alexey Erlikh, head of intensive cardiac care at Moscow Hospital 29, which is designated for the treatment of coronaviruses, is one of the many doctors who say the distinction is arbitrary.

“But they also die from the complications of the chronic illness caused by the virus. Some believe that such deaths should not be included in the coronavirus death toll. I should. I think.

“In this regard, I’m in a strong conflict with some of my colleagues. Their pictures are the top doctors hanging around the city.”

Coronavirus “from” or “from”?

In the UK, deaths include all deaths in the United Kingdom, according to Dr. Karl Hennegan, of those who were diagnosed with a positive coronavirus and who tested negative for suspected coronavirus.

“We are not in a position to distinguish” from “or” from “the dying coronavirus,” he said.

Talking anonymously, a Moscow-based pathologist said it was virtually impossible to make a clear distinction between the two.

The World Health Organization (WHO) believes Russia’s approach is okay.

“There is no conscious underestimation,” Melita Vynovich, chief of Russia’s WHO, told Russian state television.

“It’s possible that some recalculations will take place or something else will happen, but so far nothing serious has been seen.”

ABC / Reuters