October 22, 2021 3:20 a.m. 

Over the coming weeks, staff with the Oregon Health Authority will begin reporting approximately 550 deaths among people who died with COVID-19, but whose deaths only recently became known to state epidemiologists due to a technical computer error.

An OHA release said most of those deaths occurred between May and August of 2021.

The release said the deaths will be reviewed during the data reconciliation process over the next month. People who have died and meet the COVID-19 death definition based on death certificates will be reported on the OHA’s COVID-19 dashboards and its daily COVID-19 media releases. As a result, daily reported COVID-19 related deaths will be higher than usual until the backlog is resolved. Details of all deaths will be listed in OHA’s COVID-19 media releases, which are published weekdays.

The release said OHA’s reporting of COVID-19 deaths involves reconciling death records to case records, which is done manually. OHA has been working to automate the process but that has led to periodic backlogs, such as what is now being reported.

OHA Director Patrick Allen said the agency is taking steps to ensure that its reporting process is comprehensive and transparent. Allen said, “We extend our condolences to everyone who has suffered a loss to COVID-19, and we deeply regret the pain this disclosure may cause”.

OHA said the additional deaths will affect Oregon’s national standing in COVID-19 death rates. Presently, Oregon has the 6th lowest death rate in the nation. The newly reported deaths are expected to push Oregon’ death rate past one or two other states. However, Oregon’s death rate will remain well below the national average and the fatality rates of most other states.

The release said state health officials estimate that if Oregon’s death rate matched the national average, another 4,000 or more Oregonians would have died from COVID-19. Health officials attribute Oregon’s comparatively low death rate to vaccinations, mask wearing and other social distancing measures, which Oregonians have practiced to a greater extent than residents of many other states.

OHA’s newly enhanced COVID-19 Case Severity dashboard is linked: https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/oregon.health.authority.covid.19/viz/OregonCOVID-19CaseDemographicsandDiseaseSeverityStatewide/DemographicData?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery