Parson Campaigns on Falling COVID-19 Death Rate. But More Missourians are Dying Now.

As Gov. Mike Parson campaigns across Missouri to defend his widely criticized handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and asks voters to grant him a full term, he has promoted an eye-catching statistic that suggests his administration has tamed the deadly virus. “In April, when our death rate was at 8 percent – close to 8 percent – today, it is at 0.7,” Parson said at last Friday’s gubernatorial debate. He also cited the data while speaking to reporters last week.