Honest Accounting

Osaka admits about 40% of recent Covid deaths died mainly from other causes

Although Japan counts any death after a PCR positive as a Covid death, the Osaka Prefectural govt specifies whether deaths are Covid-related or not. The below figures give a breakdown for the 445 deaths between 12/17 and 2/17 for different age groups.

[https://www.pref.osaka.lg.jp/attach/38215/00421358/1-2_ryouyou0218-2.pdf]

“Covid as main CoD (cause of death)” (60.9%) means deaths where Covid was the main factor among other complications such as acute heart failure. “Covid as contributing factor” (24.3%) means deaths due to preexisting conditions such as cancer and diabetes worsened by Covid infection. And “Unrelated to Covid” (14.8%) includes deaths due to old age. Interestingly, only 5 out of 13 deaths (38.4%) of people under 60 were directly due to Covid.

Note that “Covid as main CoD” doesn’t mean the deceased died after developing severe Covid-19. As shown in the below flowchart, only 27 out of 445 (5.9% ) died after developing severe Covid, which is fairly consistent with nationwide data looked at in a previous post [1]

The below gives breakdowns for deaths by age groups and known preexisting conditions.

Finally, the below is data for infection routes, with nosocomial infections accounting for 44% (194 deaths).

So although bars and restaurants (B&Rs) in Osaka were operating as normal between 12/17 and 1/27, there doesn’t seem to be anyone who died after being infected at one. So, Gov. Yoshimura, what was the point of telling B&Rs to close at 21:00 again? No wonder he wants to hide his face.

[1]

Death by numbers