The pandemic we call COVID-19 officially killed 5 million people since December 2018, and it is not yet done. It is never easy putting large numbers in perspective, unless we compare them to something meaningful. That big number is slightly more than the people living in Montgomery, Alabama. And a few less residents than Columbia in South Carolina.
What If Everybody Died In Columbia or Montgomery?
We would feel awful about it. Most of us would resolve to help prevent a recurrence in another U.S. state capital. Joe Marsh in Forbes reminds us six countries contributed more than half those 5 million deaths. But before we sit in judgement, we should remember to factor in the sizes of their populations. Which is why we chose the image at the top of this page.
1… The United States tops the league table with some 745,836 deaths. Mississippi and Alabama lead the local pack, followed by New Jersey.
2… However, Brazil has been catching up fast with some 607,824 deaths, after having the world’s fastest-ever outbreak in March 2020.
3… Three other countries, namely Mexico, Russia, and Peru cluster in third place, with approximately 288,365, 234,194, and 200,246 confirmed deaths respectively.
COVID-19 Killed 5 Million People and More Besides
Meanwhile the pandemic rolls on. There are two reasons for this. Firstly there is a shortage of vaccines in the developing world. And secondly, a quarter of the population on average refuses them where they are available.
We close this article by mentioning COVID-19 actually killed more than 5 million people. That’s because not everybody wants the ‘stigma’ of a death certificate ‘died from COVID-19’. Moreover, many people die from unrelated diseases, because their hospitals are full. Or they don’t go there for fear of the virus.
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Preview Image: Cumulative Confirmed COVID Deaths
