New York increases COVID death count

On her first day in office, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced that 55,400 New Yorkers had died from COVID-19—12,000 more than former Gov. Andrew Cuomo had reported. The number Cuomo publicized came from a state system that collected data from hospitals and other facilities. Hochul’s number came from death certificates submitted to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including people who died at home, in hospice care, in prisons, and elsewhere. It also included presumed coronavirus deaths that were not confirmed by a positive test. Hochul said people should know both numbers.

What does this mean for Andrew Cuomo? The count is the latest news to cast doubt on Cuomo’s leadership during the pandemic. The governor initially drew praise for how he handled New York’s severe outbreak, scoring a book deal and an Emmy for his news conferences. But in the months following, it became clear Cuomo had minimized the number of the state’s nursing home deaths, not counting those who died after being transferred to hospitals. Federal and state authorities are investigating the way he handled the data. The group that bestows the Emmys revoked his award this week in light of sexual harassment allegations that led to his resignation.

Dig deeper: Read Emily Belz’s report on Andrew Cuomo’s efforts to expand abortion access in New York.