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| Global Covid-19 death toll a ‘significant undercount’, WHO says, with 6-to-8 million people likely dead from virus | Global Covid-19 death toll a ‘significant undercount’, WHO says, with 6-to-8 million people likely dead from virus |
| (4 months later) | |
| The number of people who have died due to Covid-19 is likely to have been hugely underestimated and the true toll may be much higher, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said. | The number of people who have died due to Covid-19 is likely to have been hugely underestimated and the true toll may be much higher, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said. |
| The total death toll is likely to be higher than that officially reported, Dr Samira Asma, the UN agency’s Assistant Director-General for data and analytics, told a virtual briefing on Friday as she discussed its newly published annual World Health Statistics report. | The total death toll is likely to be higher than that officially reported, Dr Samira Asma, the UN agency’s Assistant Director-General for data and analytics, told a virtual briefing on Friday as she discussed its newly published annual World Health Statistics report. |
| Official WHO data has currently recorded more than 164 million cases of Covid-19 and 3.4 million deaths. | Official WHO data has currently recorded more than 164 million cases of Covid-19 and 3.4 million deaths. |
| However, in its report on Friday the agency said data from Europe and the Americas region suggested the total number of deaths from the pandemic in 2020 alone was over 3 million. | However, in its report on Friday the agency said data from Europe and the Americas region suggested the total number of deaths from the pandemic in 2020 alone was over 3 million. |
| This figure adds an extra 1.2 million fatalities to last year’s reported death toll, the WHO said. | This figure adds an extra 1.2 million fatalities to last year’s reported death toll, the WHO said. |
| “Available evidence from the countries with rapid mortality surveillance systems suggests that in many locations the reported number of Covid-19 deaths is a significant undercount of the full toll of the pandemic,” the report read. | “Available evidence from the countries with rapid mortality surveillance systems suggests that in many locations the reported number of Covid-19 deaths is a significant undercount of the full toll of the pandemic,” the report read. |
| WHO data analyst William Msemburi told reporters that the report had looked at the excess mortality of 2020 – the difference between the total number of deaths in the pandemic and those in a typical year. | WHO data analyst William Msemburi told reporters that the report had looked at the excess mortality of 2020 – the difference between the total number of deaths in the pandemic and those in a typical year. |
| He said the 6-to-8 million figure included Covid-19 deaths of people who were not tested for the virus, as well as incidental fatalities due to reduced hospital capacity and other issues. | He said the 6-to-8 million figure included Covid-19 deaths of people who were not tested for the virus, as well as incidental fatalities due to reduced hospital capacity and other issues. |
| The report also stressed the need for more data collection and modelling and pointed out that the health responses of governments led to “a number of deaths being averted.” | The report also stressed the need for more data collection and modelling and pointed out that the health responses of governments led to “a number of deaths being averted.” |
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