17 February 2023

ACT Health undertook a review of COVID-19 related deaths in the ACT. It compared all COVID-19 deaths reported to the ACT Births, Deaths and Marriages Registry (BDM) with COVID-19 cases reported to ACT Health over the course of the pandemic (since March 2020).

The audit identified 61 COVID-19 deaths where the certifying doctor listed COVID-19 on the person’s death certificate but had not been reported to ACT Health.

As of 17 February 2023, with the inclusion of the 61 COVID-19 deaths plus the 6 deaths to be reported this week, the ACT’s total lives lost figure is 224 (since March 2020 until the end of the current reporting period).

A COVID-19-related death is defined as a death in a confirmed or probable COVID-19 case where the certifying doctor has listed COVID-19 on the person’s death certificate.

Up to the end of 2022, COVID-19-related deaths were reported to ACT Health from a number of sources, including from public and private hospitals, from Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACFs), and from the ACT Coroner’s Court.

To ensure COVID-19-related death numbers are as accurate as possible into the future, BDM data will be used as the primary source of COVID-19-related deaths in the ACT.