The journalists are confused

In the beginning of the pandemic the expressions that were used were “died of COVID-19” or “died from COVID-19”. Then it was sometimes modified to “died with COVID-19” and sometimes “as a consequence of COVID-19”. Now the expression “associated with COVID-19” is sometimes used. 

There are also expressions like “deaths related to COVID-19”, “COVID-19-attributed deaths” and “deaths caused by COVID-19”, or” deaths due to COVID-19”. 

Just imagine if the same confusing language would be used in the case of Cancer:  Died of Cancer, Died from Cancer, Died with Cancer, Died as a consequence of Cancer, Death associated with Cancer, Deaths caused by Cancer, Deaths due to Cancer, Death related to Cancer, Cancer attributed deaths…And all these were to be registered as Cancer in the official statistics. 

It would also be strange and misleading if all deaths, regardless of cause, where one could detect tumours in the person, or the dead body, were registered as Cancer in the same way as all those who have or are suspected to have or have had SARS-CoV-2 in their body are registered as COVID-19.