COVID-19 Update for Alaska’s Health Care Providers: CDC Guidance for Certifying COVID-19 Deaths

March 31, 2020

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released the following guidance for death certificates due to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). We have summarized key points from this guidance in the following:

• It is important to emphasize Coronavirus Disease 2019 or COVID-19 on the death certificate for all decedents where the disease caused or is assumed to have caused or contributed to death. 
• Specification of the causal pathway leading to death in Part I of the certificate is also important.  For example, in cases when COVID-19 causes pneumonia and fatal respiratory distress, both pneumonia and respiratory distress should be included along with COVID-19 in Part I.  
• Certifiers should include as much detail as possible based on their knowledge of the case, medical records, laboratory testing, etc. 
• If the decedent had other chronic conditions such as COPD or asthma that may have also contributed, these conditions can be reported in Part II. 

Here is an example: 

For more general guidance and training on cause-of-death reporting, certifiers can be referred to the Cause of Death mobile app available through https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/mobile-app.htm and the Improving Cause of Death Reporting online training module, which can be found at https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/improving_cause_of_death_reporting.htm.

Thank you for your dedication and service to Alaskan communities. 

Please check the DHSS Human Coronavirus website and the CDC COVID-19 website frequently for the latest information. 

• ICD-10-CM-Official-Coding-Gudance-Interim-Advice-coronavirus-feb-20-2020....pdf