WHO: 14.9 Million Deaths Associated With COVID-19

The World Health Organization (WHO) said Thursday that the total number of deaths directly or indirectly associated with the Covid-19 disease, from the beginning of the pandemic in 2020 until December 31, 2021, was about 14.9 million.

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WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that "these sobering data point not only 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."

He added that the “WHO is committed to working with all countries to strengthen their health information systems to generate better data for better decisions and better outcomes.” According to the data collected by the international organization, most of the excess mortality reported dropped by an incidence of 84 percent and is concentrated in Southeast Asia, Europe, and the Americas, where about 68 percent of excess deaths are concentrated in just ten countries globally.

The countries with middle income represent the 81 percent of the 14.9 million excess deaths, 53 percent for those with lower-middle-income and 28 percent in upper-middle-income countries for a period of 24-month; while high- and low-income countries account for 15 percent and 4 percent, respectively, according to the WHO Director-General.

In the 2020-2021 period, the records have shown that men stand for the highest overall number of deaths at 57 percent, while women accounted for 43 percent.

Similarly, WHO Assistant Director-General for Data, Analysis, and Delivery Samira Asma said that measuring excess mortality is an essential component of understanding the consequences and impact of this pandemic on society.

"Shifts in mortality trends provide decision-makers information to guide policies to reduce mortality and effectively prevent future crises. Because of limited investments in data systems in many countries, the true extent of excess mortality often remains hidden," she added.

Dr. Ibrahima Socé Fall, Assistant Director-General for Emergency Response, said that “data is the foundation of our work every day to promote health, keep the world safe, and serve the vulnerable. We know where the data gaps are, and we must collectively intensify our support to countries so that every country has the capability to track outbreaks in real-time, ensure delivery of essential health services, and safeguard population health.”