India’s Hidden COVID Death Toll: Study Reveals Discrepancies After Five Years

A recent study suggests that India’s actual COVID-19 death toll in 2020 could be eight times higher than the official count. According to the new data, India experienced nearly 1.2 million excess deaths in 2020, significantly more than the official figure of 148,738 deaths.

The study, published in Science Advances, was co-authored by 10 demographers and economists from leading international institutes. It highlights that while the first wave of the pandemic was initially managed with a strict lockdown, its impact was far more severe than previously acknowledged.

The study used data from the 2019-21 National Family Health Survey (NFHS) to compare excess deaths in 2020 to those in 2019. The findings indicate that the number of excess deaths was substantially higher than the official COVID-19 figures, which stood at 148,738 for 2020.

The research also reveals that life expectancy fell by more than five years, marking the most significant decline among all Indian communities. Additionally, the study’s figures are 1.5 times greater than the World Health Organization’s estimate for India’s COVID-19 death toll in 2020.

India’s total reported deaths from COVID-19 by the end of 2021 amount to 481,000. However, the new research uncovers deep inequalities among the victims, revealing disparities based on gender, caste, and religion.

This study underscores the need for a more accurate assessment of the pandemic’s impact and highlights the ongoing challenges in addressing its effects on marginalized communities.