That part is already known wrong, NY was not counting deaths outside hospitals because they did not have enough tests. That would add 150-200 to their daily total.

Lovelace met Babbage in 1833, a decade after he designed the first Difference Engine, so she had absolutely zero input on it. Even ignoring history none of this machines are binary logic. Using decimal meant fewer digit propagations, faster computation, and a physically shorter design.

Lovelace was not the first programmer, she was taught by Babbage. His 1837 format is what she used in 1842.