def parse_csv_data(csv_filename) -> list:
    """Reads the csv file provided and formats it into a list of strings
    Arguements:
    csv_filename {csv} - a file containing covid data including the following parameters:
    areaCode,areaName,areaType,date,cumDailyNsoDeathsByDeathDate,
    hospitalCases,newCasesBySpecimenDate

    Returns:
    covid_csv_data {list} - a list of strings containing the above data
    """
    covid_csv_data = []  # declare covid_csv_data as empty list
    # iterates through every line in the csv file, and appends to covid_csv_data
    with open(csv_filename, encoding="utf-8") as csv_file:
        for row in csv_file:
            line = row.split()
            covid_csv_data.append(line)
    return covid_csv_data