Deaths of Those Infected with COVID-19

As of today, seven inpatients who were positive for COVID-19 have died at DCH since we began tracking data related to the virus.

There are a few things to understand about this announcement. First, the primary cause of death may not be COVID-19. Cases of individuals who pass away and had the virus are reported to the state for further investigation. Any deaths determined by the state to be directly caused by the virus will be included in the reports produced by the Alabama Department of Public Health.

Second, DCH has patients from all over the state. The number above is a count among all inpatients regardless of the individual’s county of residence. If the state attributes a death to COVID-19, then the Alabama Department of Public Health will add to each county’s total as appropriate. This means DCH’s total will likely not correspond to the total deaths from COVID-19 in Tuscaloosa County.

Friends and family of the deceased are grieving. This addition only comes after a thoughtful consideration of how to best protect patient and family privacy. Going forward this count will be included in the daily report as long as it appears to assist with public information and understanding of the severity of the situation.