Excess mortality: the alarming figure from the WHO on the real effect of the coronavirus pandemic

GINEBRA (AFP). – The The excess mortality caused by the pandemic is between two and three times higher than the deaths attributed to Covid-19 since the first cases were detected at the end of 2019 in China, indicated the World Health Organization (WHO) this Friday.

When releasing its annual report on global health statistics, the WHO said last year Covid-19 caused at least three million direct or indirect deaths. However, the official toll attributed to the virus in 2020 is around 1.8 million.

“This corresponds to similar estimates, which predicted that the total number of deaths would be at least two to three times higher” than the official balance of deaths from Covid-19, he said at a conference of hurry. Samira Asma, WHO Assistant Director-General for Data.

According to his calculations, the expert estimates that the pandemic has caused to date “About 6 to 8 million” direct and indirect deaths. “The Covid pandemic poses a major threat to the health and well-being of populations around the world,” he said, and indicated that the WHO is working with different countries to find out what is the “real human balance pandemic and so that we can be better prepared for the next emergency ”.

The difference between what experts call “Excess mortality” or “excess mortality” and the official death toll linked to Covid-19 is due to several factors.

Some countries report deaths late, and there are also people who die without having undergone diagnostic tests. Other die of other untreated diseases, for fear of going to the health center or because of the confinement measures.

“Excess mortality gives us a better image, because it takes account of these direct and indirect effects”said William Msemburi, analyst in the WHO data department.

THE NATION