WHO: Pandemic led to 15 million deaths in the past two years

GENEVA — The coronavirus pandemic led to the deaths of around 14.9 million people globally in the past two years, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Thursday.

The figures include people who died from a COVID-19 infection as well as those with illnesses and injuries who passed away because of stretched health services and lockdowns.

A WHO report said the data showed "9.49 million more deaths than those globally reported as directly attributable to COVID-19."

The figures are still just estimates and are incomplete.

The WHO added: "These ranges in uncertainty serve to highlight the ongoing need and work of the WHO, as we partner with countries to strengthen national health information systems, civil registration and vital statistics systems and reporting of causes of death, and integrated surveillance systems to help improve data availability and close 'data gaps.'"

Excess mortality — meaning how many more people died compared with previous years without a pandemic — was highest in Southeast Asia, Europe and the Americas, accounting for a combined 84% of all

cases, the WHO said.

Around 68% of the additional deaths are attributable to 10 countries: Brazil, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Peru, Russia, South Africa, Turkey and the United States. Of those who died globally, 57% were men.

India had criticized the WHO estimate in advance. It said the methodology did not work for a country such India, with a population of 1.3 billion.

Indian authorities cited a figure of 475,000 additional deaths in 2020 a day before the WHO release, whose estimate is nearly double that.

The overall global death figure now for those dying with or of coronavirus is more than 6.2 million, the WHO said in reference to numbers sent to the organization from member nations.

The WHO is calling for more investment in global health care, so that life-saving treatment is not put off during crises such as pandemics.

The U.S. Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation came to a similar conclusion as the WHO, with an estimate of 15.4 million deaths linked to the coronavirus pandemic up to the end of 2021.

WHO experts took into account that many deaths were prevented because of COVID-19 restrictions. This includes fewer road and work accidents because many people stayed at home during lockdowns.