WHO estimates 14.9 million excess Covid-19 deaths in 2020, 2021
Geneva (Switzerland), May 5: New estimates from the World Health Organization (WHO) indicate the full death toll associated directly or indirectly with the Covid-19 pandemic between 1 January 2020 and 31 December 2021 was around 14.9 million.
"These sobering data not only point to the impact of the pandemic but also to the need for all countries to invest in more resilient health systems that can sustain essential health services during crises, including stronger health information systems," said WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
"WHO is committed to working with all countries to strengthen their health information systems to generate better data for better decisions and better outcomes," he added.
The discrepancy between the number of fatalities that have occurred and the number that would be expected in the absence of the pandemic based on data from previous years is known as excess mortality.
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"Excess mortality includes deaths associated with Covid-19 directly (due to the disease) or indirectly (due to the pandemic's impact on health systems and society). Deaths linked indirectly to Covid-19 are attributable to other health conditions for which people were unable to access prevention and treatment because health systems were overburdened by the pandemic," the WHO said.
Deaths averted during the pandemic due to lower risks of certain events, such as motor vehicle accidents or occupational injuries, may have an influence on the estimated number of excess deaths.
The majority of the excess deaths (84%) occurred in Southeast Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Only ten countries account for 68 percent of all excess deaths worldwide. Over the 24 months, middle-income nations account for 81% of the 14.9 million extra deaths (53 percent in lower-middle-income countries and 28% in upper-middle-income countries), with high-income and low-income countries accounting for 15% and 4%, respectively.
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-PTC News
