A scathing investigative report by The Associated Press
alleges that nursing home deaths in the state of New York could be undercounted
by thousands. The AP has found examples like Riverdale Nursing Home in the
Bronx, which claims to have had 21 deaths, while official records show only
four.
The problem is New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo “has refused to
divulge the [true] number, leading to speculation the state is manipulating the
figures to make it appear it is doing better than other states and to make a
tragic situation less dire,” the AP says.
New York already has the highest death toll for nursing homes
in the nation. Other available statistics, such as empty nursing home beds,
also point to more deaths than have been publicly reported, the AP says.
SOURCE: AP August 11, 2020