WHO Estimates Nearly Fifteen Million Pandemic-Related Deaths

The new estimate of excess deaths, or deaths that would not have happened had the pandemic not occurred, includes people (NYT) who died directly of COVID-19 and those who died due to restricted health-care access as the pandemic overwhelmed health systems. The data from the World Health Organization (WHO) covers the years 2020 and 2021 and far exceeds the official death tolls reported in many countries.

The majority of excess deaths occurred in developing countries, with nearly one-third in India alone. India’s objections to the WHO’s methodology stalled the release of the data, which was originally ready in January. Its publication comes (Reuters) as countries including the United States, China, and South Africa grapple with rising COVID-19 cases (Bloomberg).

Analysis

“WHO report on excess deaths today dispels the popular myth that rich countries have had the most deaths (a justification for vaccine hoarding),” McGill University’s Madhu Pai tweets.

“It is vital that the global scale-up of antivirals is equitable and does not go the way of vaccine distribution,” the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation’s Annie Chan writes for Think Global Health.

This Backgrounder looks at global COVID-19 vaccination efforts.

Pacific Rim

China Directs State Firms, Agencies to Ditch Foreign Personal Computers

Foreign-branded devices must be replaced with domestic alternatives within two years, Bloomberg reported. The move is part of China’s decade-long effort to reduce its dependence on technology imports from rivals such as the United States.

China: The Olympic Council of Asia indefinitely postponed the Asian Games (Nikkei), a regional sporting event scheduled to take place in the city of Hangzhou in September, due to ongoing COVID-19 outbreaks across the country.

For Foreign Affairs, CFR’s Yanzhong Huang discusses how China’s zero-COVID strategy leaves it vulnerable.

South and Central Asia

Nationwide Strike in Sri Lanka Calls for Government’s Resignation

Factories and offices sat empty and transportations services halted as millions of workers joined the strike (AFP) to protest the government’s mishandling of Sri Lanka’s economic crisis, which has seen the country experience blackouts and shortages of essential goods.

India: The country published a new political district map for Jammu and Kashmir that gives Hindu-dominated areas of the Muslim-majority region more representation (Reuters).

Middle East and North Africa

Three Killed in Terrorist Attack in Ultra-Orthodox Israeli City

Police are searching for two Palestinian suspects after ax-wielding assailants in the central Israeli city of Elad killed three people (Haaretz, AP) and wounded four others.

Israel/Russia: Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett accepted an apology (Times of Israel) from Russian President Vladimir Putin for Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s unsubstantiated claims that German dictator Adolf Hitler had “Jewish blood.”

Sub-Saharan Africa

Angola, Nigeria Responsible for Nearly Half of OPEC+ Oil Output Shortfall in March

OPEC+, which consists of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its oil-producing allies, missed its output target by an amount equal to 1.5 percent of world supply. OPEC blamed underinvestment in Africa in particular, Reuters reported.

This Backgrounder looks at OPEC in a changing world.

Zambia: The country’s finance minister called on China to lead the creditors’ committee (Bloomberg) for Zambia’s upcoming debt-renegotiation talks.

Europe

U.S. Intelligence Reportedly Helped Ukraine Target Russian Warship

Unnamed U.S. officials told NBC that intelligence-sharing helped Ukraine sink Russia’s Moskva warship on April 14.

CFR provides comprehensive coverage of the war in Ukraine.

United Kingdom: Preliminary results from local elections show that the ruling Conservative Party lost several stronghold seats (Politico) to Labour and Liberal Democrat party opponents.

Americas

Brazil’s Bolsonaro Plans to Audit Voting System Ahead of Election

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has repeatedly called the system untrustworthy (AP), prompting concerns that he could contest election results if he loses in October.

Mexico: Luis Enrique Ramirez Ramos became the ninth Mexican journalist to be murdered this year (Al Jazeera), according to Reporters Without Borders.

United States

White House Welcomes First Black, Gay Press Secretary

President Joe Biden named Karine Jean-Pierre (NPR) his next press secretary, making her the first Black person and first openly gay person to fill the role. She will take up her post later this month.

Friday Editor’s Pick

Time magazine interviews former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva about his return from political exile and bid for a third term.

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