diff --git a/src/acquisition/covidcast/database.py b/src/acquisition/covidcast/database.py
index 70660b60c..24597c8e1 100644
--- a/src/acquisition/covidcast/database.py
+++ b/src/acquisition/covidcast/database.py
@@ -326,6 +326,7 @@ def delete_batch(self, cc_deletions):
 '''
 
     drop_tmp_table_sql = f'DROP TABLE {tmp_table_name}'
+    total = None
     try:
       self._cursor.execute(create_tmp_table_sql)
       self._cursor.execute(amend_tmp_table_sql)
@@ -337,12 +338,18 @@ def delete_batch(self, cc_deletions):
         raise Exception(f"Bad deletions argument: need a filename or a list of tuples; got a {type(cc_deletions)}")
       self._cursor.execute(add_id_sql)
       self._cursor.execute(delete_sql)
+      total = self._cursor.rowcount
       self._cursor.execute(fix_latest_issue_sql)
       self._connection.commit()
+
+      if total == -1:
+        # the SQL connector does not support returning number of rows affected (see PEP 249)
+        total = None
     except Exception as e:
       raise e
     finally:
       self._cursor.execute(drop_tmp_table_sql)
+    return total
 
   def compute_covidcast_meta(self, table_name='covidcast', use_index=True):
     """Compute and return metadata on all non-WIP COVIDcast signals."""
diff --git a/src/acquisition/covidcast/delete_batch.py b/src/acquisition/covidcast/delete_batch.py
index 33bc6751d..fe40897fd 100644
--- a/src/acquisition/covidcast/delete_batch.py
+++ b/src/acquisition/covidcast/delete_batch.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 # standard library
 import argparse
+import glob
 import os
 import time
 
@@ -22,19 +23,21 @@ def get_argument_parser():
       help="filename for log output (defaults to stdout)")
     return parser
 
-def handle_file(deletion_file, database):
+def handle_file(deletion_file, database, logger):
     logger.info("Deleting from csv file", filename=deletion_file)
     rows = []
     with open(deletion_file) as f:
         for line in f:
-            rows.append(line.strip().split(","))
+            fields = line.strip().split(",")
+            if len(fields) < 9: continue
+            rows.append(fields + ["day"])
     rows = rows[1:]
     try:
         n = database.delete_batch(rows)
         logger.info("Deleted database rows", row_count=n)
         return n
     except Exception as e:
-        logger.exception('Exception while deleting rows:', e)
+        logger.exception('Exception while deleting rows', exception=e)
         database.rollback()
     return 0
 
@@ -49,7 +52,11 @@ def main(args):
 
     try:
         for deletion_file in sorted(glob.glob(os.path.join(args.deletion_dir, '*.csv'))):
-            all_n += handle_file(deletion_file)
+            n = handle_file(deletion_file, database, logger)
+            if n is not None:
+                all_n += n
+            else:
+                all_n = "rowcount unsupported"
     finally:
         database.disconnect(True)