86.5 lakh deaths in 2022, 15% dip over COVID-hit 2021: CRS data

CRS report shows significant decline in deaths in 2022 compared to COVID-affected 2021, with increase in registered births.

Nearly 86.5 lakh deaths were reported in the country during 2022, a significant decline of more than 15% from COVID-affected 2021 which had recorded over 1.02 crore deaths, according to a new data from the Civil Registration System (CRS).

The dip of 15.74 lakh from 2021 brought mortality figures broadly back in line with pre-pandemic patterns last seen in 2020, the data for 2022 brought out by the office of the Registrar General of India through CRS report showed.

According to the CRS data, 2021 registered a sharp spike with 1.02 crore deaths across the country as compared to 81.1 lakh in 2020, 76.4 lakh in 2019, and 69.5 lakh in 2018, underscoring the impact of COVID-19.

"In the case of registered deaths, the number has decreased from 102.2 lakh in 2021 to 86.5 lakh in 2022, i.e. a decrease of 15.4%. Some of the major states namely, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, West Bengal, Bihar and Haryana have contributed significantly to the decreased number of registered deaths," the report said.

Around 5.26 lakh deaths were reported due to COVID-19 till July 26, 2022, according to a reply given by the government in the Lok Sabha on July 29, 2022.

The World Health Organisation had reported over 47 lakh COVID-19 linked deaths in India which was strongly disputed by the government. The Centre had said the WHO estimates suffered from "a number of inconsistencies and erroneous assumptions".

"India had registered a strong objection to the process, methodology and outcome of this unscientific modelling approach especially when India had provided authentic data published through Civil Registration System by Registrar General of India to WHO," the government reply had said.