New York officials admit to quietly changing coronavirus counting standards to mislead on nursing home deaths

Officials in New York state admit that they tried to quietly change their coronavirus death count standards in such a way that would underreport those deaths at nursing homes.

The statistical sleight-of-hand was reported by the Daily Caller on Friday.

The New York State Department of Health acknowledged in a statement to the Daily Caller News Foundation that it only reported as coronavirus deaths those from long-term care patients that died while physically present at their facility.

Previous to around March 3, they were reported whether they died at their facility or at a hospital.

The change would underreport the count of "nursing home" deaths at a time when New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is under fire for the policy forcing nursing homes to take in coronavirus patients.

On Sunday, Cuomo rescinded the policy after scathing criticism.

New York has the highest number of nursing home deaths in the country, with 5,433 reported deaths as of reporting from Wednesday.

The revelation from the Daily Caller points to efforts from New York state officials to hide the true number of deaths from the coronavirus at nursing homes.

The report said that spokespeople from the states of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Maryland and Massachusetts confirmed that they counted nursing home deaths whether they occurred at a hospital or at their facility.

Here's more about the botched New York response to coronavirus:

Gov. Cuomo is CLUELESS About his Own Coronavirus Recovery | Stu Does Americawww.youtube.com