Report: Federal COVID-19 death count in NY surpasses Cuomo’s by 11K

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC) — A new report released Wednesday found that the federal count of New York’s COVID-19 death toll surpasses Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s number by thousands.

According to the Associated Press, the federal government’s count of the COVID-19 deaths in New York has 11,000 more victims than what Cuomo’s administration has reported.

Wednesday Cuomo was asked about the discrepancy in COVID-19 death numbers from this latest report.

“As far as the COVID reporting, we have always reported lab-tested COVID results,” Cuomo said. “That’s what our reporting has always been. CDC asks for additional information for I forget their terminology, possible or presumed covid deaths which we report to them and then they report.”

In the report, spokesman for the New York State Department of Health, Jeffrey Hammond, said the health agency’s process of ensuring reported data is accurate "will continue for quite some time following this pandemic to give a complete picture once this data is finalized."