Pandemic Underestimated

(Note: Articles for this blog are usually excerpted to emphasize the important data and implications. This one is well-written, concise, and full of essential data. Due to respecting copyrights I won’t copy and paste, but do encourage a direct read of the article, more than usual.)

The pandemic has been worse than we thought. Data is difficult to accumulate, and even more difficult during a pandemic caused by an novel ailment with unknown complications while the data gatherers are overwhelmed with treating the afflicted while also having to deal with political pressures, restrictions, and counter-measures. Instead of 561,594 people dying in the US, the total is over 905,000. Worldwide the number of deaths is estimated 100% higher, at 6,900,000. Additional deaths have occurred because people with non-pandemic related conditions either couldn’t or decided not to seek treatment. Few wars have caused more deaths.