The World Health Organization announced on Friday that the number of deaths due to COVID-19 is two to three times higher than the officially reported figures for the pandemic. On the occasion of its annual report on global health statistics, the WHO stated that COVID-19 caused three million deaths directly or indirectly in 2020, while official numbers indicated about 1.8 million deaths.
Samira Asma, the Assistant Director-General of WHO responsible for data collection, mentioned during a press conference that this toll "matches similar estimates, all stating that the total number of deaths is at least two to three times higher than what has been reported officially." The official indicated that the pandemic has so far, according to WHO numbers, caused "about six to eight million" direct and indirect deaths.
She emphasized that "the COVID-19 pandemic poses a significant risk to the health and well-being of populations worldwide," explaining that WHO has been working with countries "to clarify the true human toll of the pandemic so that we are better prepared for the next emergency."
In Africa, nearly 130,000 people have died from COVID-19 compared to over 1.1 million in Europe and more than 3.4 million worldwide, according to statistics from AFP published on Friday based on official sources. The mortality rates among patients with severe COVID-19 symptoms in Africa are higher compared to other continents, potentially due to a lack of essential care supplies, as shown in a study published by AFP on Friday.
So far, Africans have avoided the worst impacts from COVID-19 compared to other regions in terms of fatalities and infections. However, the study's authors concluded that the death rate among patients may be higher than reported figures due to a lack of data.
The UN Security Council emphasized on Wednesday, in a unanimously adopted statement, the need to increase aid to Africa to bolster its response to the COVID-19 pandemic, especially regarding vaccines, considering that vaccination campaigns against COVID-19 on the continent are inadequate.
On average, 31.5% of patients with severe symptoms die after being admitted to intensive care units in Asia, Europe, and the Americas, while 48.2% die in African countries.
In the same context, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies stated that Asia is facing a crisis of vaccine supply shortages amid rising daily death tolls. In a statement released on Friday, it noted that vaccines in Nepal and Bangladesh have run out while most countries in the region are suffering from shortages.
The statement pointed out that hospitals in India, Nepal, Malaysia, and the Philippines are filled with COVID-19 patients. The federation explained that many wealthier countries have purchased enough vaccines to immunize every person several times, while most Asian countries have only a small fraction of that.
The Red Cross urged pharmaceutical companies and governments to work together to ensure better vaccine availability in Asia, which is now the epicenter of the global pandemic with the highest number of new cases. It also called on wealthy countries to expedite plans to ship excess vaccine stocks. The statement said vaccines have become increasingly important with the spread of COVID-19 variants, but vaccination rates remain incredibly low in Asia.
