E-Paper
Global Covid-19 deaths top 5 million: Fatality rate and worst-hit regions
More than half of all global deaths due to the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) reported on a seven-day average were in the United States, Russia, Brazil, Mexico and India. The latest 1 million recorded deaths came slower than the previous two.
In nearly two years, the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) has claimed more than five million lives globally. Since the time the mysterious virus emerged in China, it quickly spread across the world, forcing billions inside their homes, paralysing the global economy and overwhelming hospital wards.
The spread of the infection has been led by the numerous mutations the Sars-CoV-2 virus underwent, with the most virulent being the Delta strain. The unvaccinated people are particularly exposed to the Delta variant.
More than half of all global deaths reported on a seven-day average were in the United States, Russia, Brazil, Mexico and India.
But, the efforts different countries took to keep their population safe, slowed down the pace of the infection.
How the fatality rate has slowed down
The latest 1 million recorded deaths came slower than the previous two. It took more than 110 days to go from 4 million deaths to 5 million, compared to less than 90 days each to reach the 3- and 4-million marks.
Still, Covid is killing thousands of people every day. The United States alone accounted for 14 per cent of the last million deaths - the highest share of any country.
However, the fatality numbers reported last week have once again raised concerns among the health experts. News agency Reuters reported that an average of 8,000 deaths were reported daily across the world over the last week, or around five deaths every minute.
The worst places in terms of Covid infection spread
The United States surpassed the mark of Covid 700,000 deaths on Friday. Russia, meanwhile, reported 887 coronavirus-related deaths on Friday, the largest single-day death toll it has recorded since the pandemic began.
The United Kingdom and Belgium are also recording a surge in infection despite high vaccination numbers.
As a region, South America has the highest death toll in the world accounting for 21% of all reported deaths, followed by North America and Eastern Europe contributing more than 14% of all fatalities each, according to Reuters.
The situation in India
India, which was also ravaged by the Delta variant, has gone from an average of 4,000 deaths a day to less than 300 as its inoculation campaign picks up pace and vaccination coverage is increased.
About 47 per cent of India's eligible population has received a first shot, with officials administering around 7,896,950 doses per day over the past week.
On October 21, it crossed the milestone of administering one billion Covid vaccine doses.
