A recent newspaper headline in a rural county in Central California blared the following: “Local virus casualty was a beloved cowboy.” Any reader would immediately draw the conclusion that COVID-19 killed 60-year old Ken Machado of San Benito County. Yet, when one reads the actual news story this interesting nugget appears:

Diane Machado was careful to emphasize that county health officers who have spoken with the family said that while Ken Machado tested positive for COVID-19 after his death, that does not mean the virus itself took his life. Ken Machado had a number of existing conditions, including Lyme Disease — which he contracted about 20 years ago — and heart disease. His sister and other family members think these underlying conditions were exacerbated by the COVID-19 illness.