Coronavirus death toll far higher than reported, data suggests

The number of deaths in the US from coronavirus totaled more than 60,000 as of Wednesday evening, according to NBC News' tally.     

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control has released new data that says the number of deaths recorded in the U.S. this year is higher than normal, and 50 percent higher than normal in seven states -- including New York.     

They looked at the time period from March 22 to April 11.    

New York saw more than 14,000 more deaths than the average of the previous six years, according to data maintained by the National Center for Health Statistics at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.     

New Jersey saw an additional 4,439 deaths, and Massachusetts saw more than 1,200.    

Experts with the CDC say they suspect unconfirmed cases of coronavirus -- could be responsible for some of those deaths.    

Governor Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday the state would begin reporting probable coronavirus deaths to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention based on new guidelines.    

The problem is we're only testing symptomatic people -- there was a large surge in home deaths in New York City, and people may not have shown signs or symptoms yet.

Another big issues with underreporting deaths -- testing. It has not been widely available -- they were limiting the people being tested.    

Recently Governor Cuomo has said we've been able to ramp up testing to now conducting an average of 30,000 diagnostic tests for COVID-19 per day.    

When looking at New York from March 8 to April 11, 2020 -- New York City saw a 300 percent increase in deaths compared to the average count in the past five years.    

The rest of New York saw more than a 140 percent increase.     

Now New York City officials have said -- thousands of more people likely died from coronavirus, but it is unlikely they got tested because they didn't die in the hospital or had no symptoms -- and tests are limited.    

But it's not just about those dying from COVID-19.    

Experts suggest -- there are more Americans dying from health ailments that would normally be treatable -- but people fear going to the hospital, they perhaps wait too long at home, and then they are not able to be treated properly.

Experts point out -- it could be months, potentially a year before we see the big picture of how many people this virus has killed.

To hear more about the data, click on Emily De Vito's report.