More clarification on deaths with or from Covid
K Thompson made this Official Information request to Health New Zealand
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From: K Thompson
Dear Health New Zealand,
Thank your for your OIA response HNZ00031073 relating to Covid deaths.
Are you referring in this answer to Covid deaths in the first wave of Covid (delta variant) only, or to deaths in the first and second waves (delta and omicron)? Are these categories of death what you use now?
In response to my question: "What is the difference between "Covid-19 as underlying" and "Covid-19 as contributory"?
You said regarding the category "underlying cause of death":
"An underlying cause of death is defined as the disease or condition that initiated the train of events leading directly to death".
With Covid, what are the "trains of events" that lead to death? (eg cough, shortness of breath, etc). In other words, by what physical mechanisms does Covid cause death?
What are the hospital treatments for people with Covid "as an underlying cause", that is, presumably, when Covid is their main or only illness?
Have hospital treatments improved for Covid? What things work and what don't? Have any lessons been learned regarding treatment? Is keeping warm important, since Covid is a type of cold or flu?
You said regarding "contributory cause of death":
"A contributory cause of death is any cause of death that is neither the immediate, intervening, originating antecedent nor underlying cause; hence there are other significant conditions that contributed to the fatal outcome, but were not related to the disease or condition directly causing death."
Please can you outline the "immediate, intervening, originating antecedent and underlying" or direct causes of death for people listed as having Covid as contributory to their deaths.
That is, what are or were their main causes of death, eg cancer, heart conditions, stroke, aneurysm, collapse and so on?
What percentage of people die with Covid as "underlying" and what percentage die with Covid as "contributory?
Yours faithfully,
K Thompson
From: hnzOIA
Health New Zealand
Tēnā koe,
Thank you for contacting Te Whatu Ora, Health NZ. This is an automatic
reply to confirm that we have received your email. Depending on the
nature of your request you may not receive a response for up to 20 working
days. We will try to respond to your query as quickly as possible.
Ngā mihi
Te Whatu Ora, Health NZ.
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From: hnzOIA
Health New Zealand
Tēnā koe,
Thank you for your email on 12 December 2023, asking for the
following information under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act):
Thank your for your OIA response HNZ00031073 relating to Covid deaths.
Are you referring in this answer to Covid deaths in the first wave of
Covid (delta variant) only, or to deaths in the first and second waves
(delta and omicron)? Are these categories of death what you use now?
In response to my question: "What is the difference between "Covid-19 as
underlying" and "Covid-19 as contributory"?
You said regarding the category "underlying cause of death":
"An underlying cause of death is defined as the disease or condition that
initiated the train of events leading directly to death".
With Covid, what are the "trains of events" that lead to death? (eg cough,
shortness of breath, etc). In other words, by what physical mechanisms
does Covid cause death?
What are the hospital treatments for people with Covid "as an underlying
cause", that is, presumably, when Covid is their main or only illness?
Have hospital treatments improved for Covid? What things work and what
don't? Have any lessons been learned regarding treatment? Is keeping
warm important, since Covid is a type of cold or flu?
You said regarding "contributory cause of death":
"A contributory cause of death is any cause of death that is neither the
immediate, intervening, originating antecedent nor underlying cause; hence
there are other significant conditions that contributed to the fatal
outcome, but were not related to the disease or condition directly causing
death."
Please can you outline the "immediate, intervening, originating antecedent
and underlying" or direct causes of death for people listed as having
Covid as contributory to their deaths.
That is, what are or were their main causes of death, eg cancer, heart
conditions, stroke, aneurysm, collapse and so on?
What percentage of people die with Covid as "underlying" and what
percentage die with Covid as "contributory?
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Ngā mihi nui
Giana
Government Services
Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand
TeWhatuOra.govt.nz
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References
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From: hnzOIA
Health New Zealand
Kia ora,
Thank you for your request for information, I apologise for the delay
in providing our response. Please find attached our response to your
request.
If you have any questions, please get in touch at
[1][Health New Zealand request email].
If you are not happy with this response, you have the right to make a
complaint to the Ombudsman. Information about how to do this is available
at [2]www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or by phoning 0800 802 602.
Ngā mihi,
Giana
Government Services
[3][Health New Zealand request email]
Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora
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References
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1. mailto:[Health New Zealand request email]
2. http://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/
3. mailto:[email address]
mailto:[Health New Zealand request email]
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