Victoria’s chief health officer Brett Sutton has said the recorded coronavirus death toll lists people who did not necessarily die from the virus itself and includes patients who died while receiving palliative care.

In a recent news conference, Sutton admitted the record makes no distinction between those who die from the virus and those who die with the virus.

“For deaths from coronavirus, anyone who’s a confirmed case who dies is classified amongst coronavirus deaths,” Sutton said.

“So, it doesn’t have to be definitively from coronavirus, and in some instances — you know, in aged care — there would have been some residents who were already receiving palliative care who became infected with coronavirus.

“So, it’s not definitive about whether they died with or from coronavirus.”

According to the Department of Health, the majority of coronavirus deaths recorded from January until August have been reported among the elderly 80 years and older.