Research published on Tuesday concluded that the number of COVID-19 deaths in India may be ten times the official tally. The study, conducted by the Center for Global Development based in the United States, estimated that approximately 3.09 to 4 million people died in excess of what would have been expected from January 2020 to June 2021.
It is noted that excess deaths represent the difference between recorded deaths and those expected during the same period. This indicator is deemed more accurate than solely counting confirmed COVID-19 deaths, according to the World Health Organization.
The study indicated that "the official death toll in India by the end of June was 400,000. The reality, of course, is catastrophically worse." It added, "It is likely that the actual death toll is estimated to be several million, not hundreds of thousands, making this the worst humanitarian tragedy that India has witnessed since partition and independence."
