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This is an HTML version of an attachment to the Freedom of Information request 'Report required that differentiates deaths WITH covid-19 from those who died FROM covid-19'.


 
 
Department Reference: FOI 3329 
 
Lauren 
via email: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx 
 
Dear Lauren 
 
NOTICE OF DECISION UNDER SECTION 24A 
OF THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 1982 
 
I refer to your request of 3 November 2021 to the Department of Health (the 
department) seeking access under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth) (the FOI 
Act) to documents related to COVID-19. Your request is in the following terms: 
 
According to the Covid-19 CDNA National Guidelines for Public health  Units V5.1, 
a definition of COVID-19 death is: 
"...defined for surveillance purposes as a death in a confirmed COVID-19 case, unless 
there is a clear alternative cause of death that cannot be related to COVID-19 (e.g. 
trauma).".  Coronors guidance in WA also advises that "Where a person is known to 
have suffered typical symptoms of COVID-19, such as fevers, cough, or breathing 
difficulties, during a COVID-19 pandemic, but has not been formally tested or 
diagnosed, then it is reasonable to “assume” the death was related to COVID-19 and 
should be recorded on the death certificate" 
 
While data collection for Covid-19 remains important, it appears that a vital report is 
missing from the data set.  
 
In order to calculate the true mortality rate of Covid-19 in cases, we require the 
report to be made available that separates and isolates Covid-19 as the PRIMARY 
and unequivocal (not "assumed") cause of death, not simply as a "death in a 
confirmed Covid-19 case". 
 
NSW Health acknowledges that due to this form of reporting data to the public, it is 
clear that "not all Australia’s Covid deaths were directly linked to the virus" 
(https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/nsw-health-switches-to-recording-
deaths-with-instead-of-from-covid/ar-AANRyFk). 
 
As such, to ensure accuracy or Covid-19 reporting, please send through any and all 
reports held, created or utilised by the department of health, that clearly isolate and 
differentiate between those deaths that are reported by health.gov that take place IN 
a confirmed Covid-19 case (data that also can encompass those who have died of 
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brain cancer or a heart attack, yet simply also tested positive from Covid-19), vs the 
deaths that have Covid-19 as the PRIMARY cause of death. 
 
Information about COVID-19 deaths 
 
The department does not hold data or documentation that disaggregates the number 
of confirmed deaths that have died ‘from’ or died ‘with’ COVID-19, and therefore 
we are unable to provide the requested documents on deaths caused by COVID-19. 
This data may be available from State and Territory health departments or via 
reports issued by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).  
 
COVID-19 cases and associated deaths are reported to the department by the states 
and territories via the National Interoperable Notifiable Diseases Surveillance 
System (NINDSS). The national case definitions for COVID-19 cases, including 
COVID-19 associated deaths, reporting are outlined in the Communicable Diseases 
Network Australia COVID-19: National Guideline for Public Health Units, see: 
https://www1.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/cdna-song-
novel-coronavirus.htm. The current definition for a COVID-19 associated death is:  
•  A COVID-19 death is defined for surveillance purposes as a death in a 
confirmed COVID-19 case, unless there is a clear alternative cause of death 
that cannot be related to COVID-19 (e.g. trauma). There should be no period 
of complete recovery from COVID-19 between illness and death. Where a 
Coroner’s report is available, these findings are to be observed. 
 
Information and reports on COVID-19 case numbers and associated deaths, as 
reported to the department by states and territories, is available on the department’s 
website: 
•  Daily case summary of cases: https://www.health.gov.au/news/health-
alerts/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-health-alert/coronavirus-covid-19-
current-situation-and-case-numbers   
•  Daily infographic, including previous versions dating back to 5 April: 
https://www.health.gov.au/resources/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-at-
a-glance-infographic-collection 
•  Communicable Diseases Intelligence COVID-19 epidemiology fortnightly 
report, which includes information on cases and deaths associated with the 
current Delta outbreaks: 
https://www1.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/novel
_coronavirus_2019_ncov_weekly_epidemiology_reports_australia_2020.htm 
 
National notification data on COVID-19 confirmed cases, including COVID-19 
associated deaths (based on the definition noted above), is collated in the NINDSS 
based on notifications made to state and territory health authorities under the 
provisions of their relevant public health legislation. As the department is custodian 
of this data, a request for the release of data from the NINDSS requires agreement 
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from states and territories via the Communicable Diseases Network Australia. 
Depending on the sensitivity of the data sought, and proposed use, ethics approval 
may also be required. Please be aware, due to the COVID-19 response, 
unfortunately, specific requests for NINDSS data are experiencing delays. 
•  For information on how to apply to access data from the NINDSS please 
contact the NINDSS Data Requests inbox 
(xxxxx.xxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxx.xxx.xx). 
 
Deaths certified as being from COVID-19 are routinely collated and reported by the 
ABS. Mortality data compiled by the ABS is based on death registrations processed 
by the jurisdictional Registries of Births, Deaths and Marriages, and information on 
the cause of death sourced from a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD) 
completed by a certifying practitioner. Compared with NINDSS data, information 
from the registration based system than the surveillance system, it is more 
comprehensive and can provide important additional insights into deaths from 
COVID-19. This is especially the case with data obtained from the MCCD, which 
enables identification of the underlying cause of death and other associated causes. 
These data sources also provide demographic information about the decedent (e.g. 
age, sex and usual residence). For COVID-19 mortality data from the ABS, we 
suggest: 
•   The monthly ‘Provisional Mortality Statistics’ reports, available at: 
https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/causes-death/provisional-
mortality-statistics/latest-release. These reports provide information on 
doctor certified deaths and their registered causes, including deaths from 
COVID-19, noting that there is an approximate 3 month lag in the availability 
of these data. Please note that these data are provisional, and do not include 
deaths that have been referred to a coroner. Further information on the 
provisional report methodology can be found at: 
https://www.abs.gov.au/methodologies/provisional-mortality-statistics-
methodology/jan-2020-jul-2021.  
•  The annual ‘Causes of Death, Australia’ reports, which include information 
and aggregated data on deaths for the calendar year of 2020, is available at: 
https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/causes-death/causes-death-
australia/2020. 
•  A recently published article ‘COVID-19 Mortality’ which reports on COVID-
19 deaths that occurred by 31 July 2021 that have been registered and received 
by the ABS, is available at: https://www.abs.gov.au/articles/covid-19-
mortality-1.  
•  Requests for ABS mortality data should be directed to the ABS. 
 
FOI decision 
 
I am authorised under subsection 23(1) of the FOI Act to make decisions in relation 
to Freedom of Information requests. I am writing to notify you of my decision in 
response to your request. 
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Appropriate steps have been taken to find documents you have requested including 
consultation with relevant departmental officers and searches of departmental file 
management systems. 
 
I am satisfied, on the basis of the consultation undertaken and the searches 
conducted, that the department does not hold any documents referred to in your 
request. This research and information is available in the public domain as described 
above. 
 
FOI review rights 
 
If you are dissatisfied with my decision, you may apply for a review. 
 
Internal review 
 
Under section 54 of the FOI Act, you may apply for internal review of this decision. 
In accordance with section 54B of the FOI Act, an application for internal review 
must be made in writing within 30 days after the day you are notified of this 
decision (or such further period as the department allows). To assist in the internal 
review process, please provide reasons you consider the review of my decision is 
necessary. 
 
The internal review will be carried out by another officer of this department within 
30 days of receipt of your application. 
 
An application for an internal review should be addressed to: 
Email:  xxx@xxxxxx.xxx.xx 
Mail:   FOI Unit (MDP 516) 
Department of Health 
GPO Box 9848 
CANBERRA ACT 2601 
 
Information Commissioner review 
 
Alternatively, under section 54L of the FOI Act, you may apply to the Office of the 
Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) for review of my decision by the 
Information Commissioner (IC). 
 
In accordance with subsection 54S(1) of the FOI Act, an IC review application in 
relation to a decision covered by subsection 54L(2) (access refusal decisions) must be 
made in writing within 60 days after the day you are notified of this decision (if you 
do not request an internal review). 
 
More information about IC review is available on the OAIC website at: 
https://www.oaic.gov.au/freedom-of-information/reviews/ 
 
 

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The OAIC can be contacted by: 
Phone:  1300 363 992 
Email:  xxxxxxxxx@xxxx.xxx.xx 
 
Complaints 
 
If you are dissatisfied with action taken by the department, you may also make a 
complaint. 
 
Complaint to the department 
 
Complaints to the department are covered by the department’s privacy policy. A 
form for lodging a complaint directly to the department is available on the 
department’s website: 
https://www.health.gov.au/about-us/contact-us/complaints 
 
Complaint to the IC 
 
Information about making a complaint to the IC about action taken by the 
department is available on the OAIC website: 
https://www.oaic.gov.au/freedom-of-information/reviews-and-complaints/make-
an-foi-complaint/ 
 
Relevant provisions of the FOI Act 
 
The FOI Act, including the provisions referred to in this letter, can be accessed from 
the Federal Register of Legislation website: 
https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2021C00382 
 
Contacts 
 
If you require clarification of any of the matters discussed in this letter you should 
contact the department’s Freedom of Information Unit on (02) 6289 1666 or at 
xxx@xxxxxx.xxx.xx. 
 
Yours sincerely 
 
Megan Lancaster 
Assistant Secretary 
Public Health and Surveillance Branch 
 
2 December 2021