The World Health Organization has estimated that nearly 15 million people died because of the coronavirus or as a consequence of its impact on health systems between 1 January 2020 and 31 December 2021, more than double the official toll of 6 million. Most of the fatalities were in south-east Asia, Europe and the Americas.
The figure is based on the concept of excess mortality – the number of deaths that occurred beyond those expected in normal times – and encompasses both those who died as a result of Covid and those who died indirectly because of the pandemic
