Covid-19 deaths reach four million as India eclipses US and UK

The global death toll from Covid-19 has reached four million, as a growing disparity in vaccine access leaves poorer nations exposed to outbreaks of more infectious strains.

Even as rapid vaccine rollouts allow life to start to return to normal in countries like the UK and US, it has taken just 82 days for the latest million deaths, compared to 92 days for the previous million, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

The real toll could be far higher than reported because of inconsistent calculations around the world.

The developing world is shouldering a rising death toll. India accounted for 26% of the increase from three million to four million deaths, and Brazil about 18%.

By comparison, the US, where more than 332 million shots have been administered, accounted for about 4% of the rise. The UK accounted for just 1,000 of the extra deaths, the data showed.

The US and UK had accounted for a far higher share of new deaths worldwide prior to April, reflecting how fast vaccination has brought about stunning turnarounds in their pandemic performances over the past three months.

“Vaccine equity is the greatest immediate moral test of our times,” United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement marking the gloomy milestone.

“It is also a practical necessity. Until everyone is vaccinated, everyone is under threat.”

“The tragic loss of four million people to this pandemic must drive our urgent efforts to bring it to an end for everyone, everywhere,” he added. —