Brain Hayes (pictured), Macon County Coroner, admitted to the KC Star that he was removing COVID-19 from death certificates. The coroner, an elected Republican, was arrested for DWI in 2018. Pictured: Hayes' mugshot from the arrest
A small Missouri county may be undercounting COVID-19 cases because the virus is being removed as cause of death from some death certificates.
Brian Hayes, coroner of Macon County - which is home to 15,000 residents - told the Kansas City Star that he has excluded coronavirus at the request of family members.
The Kansas City Star reports that up to a dozen potential COVID-19 deaths have been undercounted by Hayes and that the death toll of 19 could actually be 30 or higher.
While small, Macon County plays into a larger ongoing issue in the way Missouri records COVID-19 deaths, which includes not counting any cases missing a positive PCR test in official death counts.
Hayes, a Republican who was elected to his position, told the Star that he would replace the deaths on some certificates with pneumonia or another symptom of the virus instead of COVID itself.
The action is not illegal unless in the case of a criminal investigation, though it is frowned upon.
However, he only did it it he could saw another major factor as playing a role in the person's cause of death.
'A lot of families were upset. They didn't want COVID on the death certificates,' Hayes said.
'I won't lie for them. It's gotta be true, but I do what pleases the family.'
Deaths in Missouri may be undercounted across the state.
In total, the state has recorded 10,000 COVID deaths, thought the figure is likely even higher.
A person who
