The information on the Ohio Department of Health's coronavirus website has been questioned by critics and some state lawmakers. But the data on COVID-19 cases and deaths is accurate, according to a review from the Republican state auditor. Ohio Public Radio's Karen Kasler reports.
Auditor Keith Faber says he’d recommend an upgrade of the system which wasn’t designed to handle so much data. But he says of his audit:
“For the most part, the information that’s being reported is accurate, and for the most part, while the system is clunky and not the most efficient, from a public policy standpoint is providing consistent, reliable information.”
Faber notes because testing data is incomplete, a true count of test results and positivity rates isn’t available. And he says there are so many health subdivisions and overlapping jurisdictions it may be difficult to track data back and verify it. Last month’s addition of more than 4000 deaths from November and December wasn’t part of the audit.
