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Death Certification during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Coroner Christina VandePol recently wrote an article on the challenges of death certification during the COVID-19 pandemic. The article, published in Chester County Medicine, can be found here.
Mission Statement
The Chester County Coroner's Office is an independent agency serving the citizens and honoring the deceased of the county by investigating the facts and circumstances concerning jurisdictional deaths which have occurred within Chester County. We determine the cause and manner of death, the identity of the decedent, and provide notification to the legal next of kin, while exhibiting the highest degree of compassion, professionalism, and integrity.
Forms
- Cremation Request Form
- Report Request for Next of Kin
- Death Certificate - Copies are provided by the PA Department of Health, Vital Statistics
- Reports for Attorney's and Insurance Companies - $500 for a copy of an autopsy report and $100 for a copy of a toxicology report, plus an administrative fee of $35. Copies of photographs are $25 each. Contact the Coroner's Office at 610-344-6165 to verify reports and/or photographs are available.
Report Request for Attorneys and Insurance
Survivor's Guide
The Survivors Guide is provided by the Coroner's office to assist survivors with decision-making and helpful solutions during their time of loss.
Survivors Guide in Spanish (Guia Para La Familia)
Current Year Statistical Data
Coroner jurisdiction is over certain kinds of deaths (as detailed in State Statute Title 16 P.S., County Code) that occur within Chester County. The location of the event leading to the death or the residence of the decedent prior to death may in some cases be outside Chester County. Location of death is the governing factor in determining Coroner jurisdiction and inclusion in these data.
COVID-19 Deaths
| COVID-19 Deaths | Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Totals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| COVID-19 Deaths | 0 |
0 |
1 |
164 |
149 |
33 |
18 |
7 |
372 |
| Presumed COVID-19 Deaths | 0 |
0 |
0 |
19 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
19 |
| Total COVID-19 Deaths | 0 |
0 |
1 |
183 |
149 |
33 |
18 |
7 |
391 |
2020 Statistics
| Manner of Death | Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Totals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natural | 70 |
81 |
72 |
253 |
223 |
111 |
85 |
54 |
949 |
| Accidental | 21 |
30 |
20 |
19 |
20 |
11 |
25 |
12 |
158 |
| Homicide | 0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
| Suicide | 8 |
6 |
1 |
4 |
2 |
5 |
5 |
8 |
39 |
| Pending | 0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
23 |
24 |
| Undetermined | 1 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
11 |
| Non-Human Remains | 0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
| Total Cases | 100 |
120 |
96 |
278 |
248 |
129 |
115 |
97 |
1183 |
Case Type
| Type of Case | Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jurisdictional | 52 |
65 |
44 |
232 |
214 |
82 |
77 |
65 |
831 |
| Non-Jurisdictional | 48 |
55 |
52 |
46 |
34 |
47 |
38 |
32 |
352 |
| Totals | 100 |
120 |
96 |
278 |
248 |
129 |
115 |
87 |
1183 |
Accidental Deaths
| Type of Accident | Total |
|---|---|
| Drug Overdose | 72 |
| Fall | 58 |
| Motor Vehicle Accident | 13 |
| Drowning | 4 |
| Choking | 4 |
| Other | 7 |
| Total Cases | 158 |
Suicides
| Type of Suicide | Total |
|---|---|
| Firearms | 22 |
| Hanging | 12 |
| Drug Overdose | 1 |
| Other | 4 |
| Total Cases | 39 |
Homicides
Type of Homicide |
Total |
|---|---|
Firearms |
1 |
| Total Cases | 1 |
Undetermined
| Type of Undetermined | Total |
|---|---|
| Undetermined | 6 |
| Overdose | 5 |
| Total Cases | 11 |
Other Statistics
| Other Statistics | Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cremation Requests | 269 |
244 |
231 |
351 |
320 |
239 |
230 |
201 |
2085 |
| Autopsy Performed | 28 |
19 |
8 |
10 |
17 |
9 |
17 |
24 |
132 |
| Toxicology Draws Only | 6 |
14 |
12 |
8 |
7 |
10 |
7 |
3 |
67 |
| Organ Donors | 2 |
4 |
3 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
4 |
5 |
27 |
* Statistics as of August 31, 2020
Links
- Analysis of Overdose Deaths in Pennsylvania, 2016
- Chester County Coroner's Office Statistics
- Chester County Coroner's Office Annual Reports