Marina Villeneuve reports for the Associated Press in the Times Union that New York changed governors on Aug. 24, and also added 12,000 more COVID-19 deaths. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is now releasing death information based on death certificate data submitted to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “We’re now releasing more data than had been released before publicly, so people know the nursing home deaths and the hospital deaths are consistent with what’s being displayed by the CDC,” Hochul said Aug. 25. “There’s a lot of things that weren’t happening and I’m going to make them happen. Transparency will be the hallmark of my administration.” Former Governor Andrew Cuomo Cuomo only included laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 deaths reported through a state system that collects data from hospitals, nursing homes, and adult care facilities in his death totals. That count excluded people who died at home, hospice, in state prisons, or at state-run homes for people living with disabilities. Cuomo also kept his death numbers lower by not counting those who likely died of COVID-19 but never got a positive test. “There are presumed and confirmed deaths. People should know both," Hochul said Aug. 25. "Also, as of yesterday, we’re using CDC numbers, which will be consistent. And so there’s no opportunity for us to mask those numbers, nor do I want to mask those numbers. The public deserves a clear, honest picture of what’s happening. And that’s whether it’s good or bad, they need to know the truth. And that’s how we restore confidence.” Read more about this story in the Times Union.