HYDERABAD: The number of deaths in Hyderabad during the peak months of the second wave of Covid-19 (April-May 2021) was 130 per cent more than the figures reported during the corresponding period of previous years (2015-19). During the first wave of the pandemic (June- December 2020), the number of deaths was 56 per cent more than the previous years’ figures.
Most of these deaths could be due to Covid-19. These were the findings of a study conducted by researchers from the University of Toronto, CVoter, IIM Ahmedabad, Dartmouth College and Development Data Lab. The findings were reported in a pre-print paper titled, ‘Excess mortality in India from June 2020 to June 2021 during the Covid pandemic: death registration, health facility deaths, and survey data’.
The study also found that the actual number of Covid-19 deaths reported from across the country might be about seven to eight times higher than the official figures. The researchers reported that the total number of Covid deaths in India could be anywhere between 27 lakh and 33 lakh, a majority of which could have occurred during April-June 2021.