COVID-19 accounts for nearly 15 million deaths in two years, World Health Organisation says

By admin On Dec 15, 2022

New estimates from the World Health Organisation (WHO) show there were approximately 14.83 million excess deaths linked to COVID-19 across the world from 2020 to 2021.

The paper, published in the journal Nature, revealed that coronavirus has been responsible for nearly three times the number of deaths reported over the same period.

Excess mortality accounts for both the total number of deaths directly attributed to the virus and the indirect impact, such as disruption of essential health services or travel impacts.

New World Health Organisation estimates show there were were approximately 14.83 million excess deaths linked with COVID-19 across the world from 2020 to 2021. (AP)

It was previously estimated that 5.42 million people died of COVID-19 from 2020 to 2021.

The WHO report found that excess mortality was 4.47 million in 2020 and 10.36 million in 2021.

Researchers compiled the figures by comparing mortality data from 2020 and 2021 with the number of deaths that would have been expected without a pandemic.

A number of factors have made it difficult to assess the total effect of COVID-19 on the global population.

These include variations in testing access, differing diagnostic capacity, varying reporting of cause of death and inconsistent certification of COVID-19 as a cause of death.

India alone accounts for an estimated 4.74 million excess COVID-19 deaths. (AP)

Beyond what is directly attributed to COVID-19, the pandemic has also caused extensive collateral damage that has led to profound losses of livelihoods and lives.

The 20 nations with the highest estimated excess deaths account for nearly half the world population and represent 80 per cent of the estimated global excess mortalities from 2020 to 2021.

These countries are Bangladesh, Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, the Russian Federation, South Africa, Britain, Turkey, Ukraine and the United States.

India alone accounts for an estimated 4.74 million excess deaths.

Brazil was among the 20 countries with the highest estimated excess deaths from coronavirus. (Getty)

Russia and Indonesia have more than 1 million excess deaths.

Data on the leading cause of death during the pandemic years isn’t available yet, but it’s expected that coronavirus is among the main causes of death in 2020 and the leading cause of death in 2021.

In comparison, the WHO estimates that seasonal influenza may result in 290,000 to 650,000 global deaths each year due to respiratory diseases alone.

The estimate does not take into account deaths from other diseases such as cardiovascular disease, which can be influenza-related.