Hinshaw apologizes to family of 14-year-old after saying he died from COVID-19
CBC
Alberta's top doctor delivered a public apology Thursday after saying earlier this week that a 14-year-old boy with other medical conditions had died from COVID-19.
While an initial report had indicated that COVID-19 was a secondary cause of the teen's death, a subsequent review has determined that not to be the case, Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw told a news conference.
"I first want to apologize to the family of the 14-year-old whose death I spoke about on Tuesday," Hinshaw said after stepping to the podium.
"The pain of losing a child is terrible enough without having that loss compounded by a public debate about the circumstances.
"I am sorry if the way that I spoke about that just made your grief worse."
Alberta typically records deaths where COVID-19 may have been a primary or secondary cause. Deaths of people who were recently diagnosed with COVID-19 are also reported, Hinshaw said.
In cases where the cause of death is not certain, the cases are reviewed. If it turns out that COVID-19 is not a primary or secondary cause of death, that death is removed from the total.