India's Excess Deaths During Pandemic Up To 4.9 Million: Report

The official tally of more than 414,000 deaths is the world's third highest after the United States and Brazil, but the study adds to growing calls from experts for a rigorous nationwide audit of fatalities.

The country's excess deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic could be as high as 4.9 million, a new study shows, providing further evidence that millions more may have died from coronavirus than the official tally. The report by the Washington-based Center for Global Development, co-authored by former chief economic adviser Arvind Subramanian, included deaths from all causes since the start of the pandemic through June this year. The official tally of more than 414,000 deaths is the world's third highest after the United States and Brazil, but the study adds to growing calls from experts for a rigorous nationwide audit of fatalities. A devastating rise in infections in April and May, driven largely by the more infectious and dangerous Delta variant, overwhelmed the healthcare system and killed at least 170,000 people in May alone, official data show.