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In reply to the discussion: Trumpgate: This is what happens when incompetent demagogues run the government. People die. Biggest [View all]SunSeeker
(51,550 posts)"Officials also acknowledge mistakes were made at the beginning: poor preparation left care home staff lacking personal protective equipment (PPE). That allowed the virus to spread quickly, with devastating effect."
This was compounded by the fact that many more people in Belgium put loved ones in care homes than elsewhere in Europe.
Another big reason their numbers are so high is they count suspected Covid-19 deaths, and other countries don't:
"Belgian officials say they are counting in a way that no other country in the world is currently doing: counting deaths in hospitals and care homes, but including deaths in care homes that are suspected, not confirmed, as Covid-19 cases. According to Belgium's latest official figures, out of 7,703 deaths, 53% have been in care homes."
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-52491210
Our numbers would skyrocket if we counted suspected cases like Belgium does. Only 33 US states report nursing home-related deaths. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/may/11/nursing-homes-us-data-coronavirus Based on Belgium's numbers allocation, that means the deaths in those states should be considered twice what they are claimed to be.