In a statement, Stephanie Buhle, a spokeswoman for the New York City’s Health Department confirmed the change in protocol.

“The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) and the NYC Health Department are working together to include into their reports deaths that may be linked to COVID but not lab confirmed that occur at home,” she said. She didn’t say when the city would begin reporting suspected deaths along with the overall count…

Mayor Bill de Blasio acknowledged on Tuesday that the vast majority of deaths taking place at home were likely also due to COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, meaning the death toll could be as much as 70% higher than currently reported figures.