One method is to consider all positive cases in total, then to explain what happened to them. They either died or they recovered. If they died, it doesn't have to be from the virus, but it clears the caseload. Another method is to just look at the death count (this is the method the general public and forum pundits use). Then they compare death counts and consider that every one was someone choking to death on their own lung tissue. Then the trusty news media (should have the term "news" removed from their moniker, and be called "opinion feed") plays both sides, taking which ever combination of numbers best suits their audience's echo chamber needs.
In reality, there are plenty dying from the virus and the actual count is a side note. It only matters in the virus olympics where en y X is so much better than en y Y, or in situations were funding is based on death totals.