Amanda Fries and Chris Bragg are reporting for the Times Union New York Attorney General Letitia James Thu., Jan. 28, released a scathing report that the state Department of Health underreported nursing home deaths related to the coronavirus by as much as 50 percent. The 76-page report comes after a months-long investigation by James' office's into allegations of patient neglect and other conduct that jeopardized the health and safety of residents and employees, plus information that nursing homes failed to properly isolate residents who tested positive for COVID-19 and demanded that sick employees continue to work or face retaliation or termination. The investigation also found nursing homes' lack of compliance with infection-control protocols put residents at risk, and facilities that had lower pre-pandemic staffing ratings had higher COVID-19 fatality rates. The AG's office continues to investigate the allegations, including a deeper examination of practices at more than 20 nursing homes where reported conduct "presented particular concern." James said in a press release unveiling the report, "As the pandemic and our investigations continue, it is imperative that we understand why the residents of nursing homes in New York unnecessarily suffered at such an alarming rate. While we cannot bring back the individuals we lost to this crisis, this report seeks to offer transparency that the public deserves and to spur increased action to protect our most vulnerable residents." In March, the office began receiving complaints of COVID-related neglect and on April 23, a hotline was set up to take complaints abuse and neglect. The hotline received 770 complaints through August 3 and an additional 179 complaints through November 16. Notably: the investigation found the state's March guidance mandating the admission of COVID-19 patients into nursing homes may have increased the risk of other patients at the congregate facilities contracting the virus. This was an idea that a state-commissioned, internal report released last year dismissed as a possibility. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's office did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the contents of the report. Read the full story in the Times Union.