The fact-check article addresses the resurgence of a misleading claim on social media suggesting that 99% of COVID-19 deaths were primarily caused by factors other than the virus itself. This claim originated from a long-corrected headline from Mail Online, which misrepresented data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The misleading posts have gained traction, with users asserting that this information supports conspiracy theories about the pandemic.
Claim
The claim states that “99% of ‘Covid deaths’ not primarily caused by the virus, CDC data shows,” implying that the majority of COVID-19 fatalities were due to other causes. This claim is false.
Fact
The accurate CDC data indicates that, for the week ending August 19, 2023, only 1.6% to 1.7% of total deaths were primarily attributed to COVID-19, not that 99% of COVID-related deaths were due to other causes. The Mail Online corrected its initial misleading headline shortly after publication.
Key sources confirming this fact include:
- CDC official reports.
- Mail Online’s corrected article.
- Reuters coverage on the misinformation.
Conclusion
This fact-check falls under the category of False Content, as it presents information that is wholly false and misleading regarding COVID-19 death statistics.
