Over 34,000 “Unusual” Deaths Occurred in Peru During Pandemic
Peruvian Health Minister Victor Zamora stated that his office does not consider unproven and unconfirmed deaths as COVID-19 deaths.
Peru’s National Fatalities Information System (Sinadef) Thursday reported that over 34,000 ‘unusual’ fatalities occurred in Peru in addition to about 10,000 deaths due to COVID-19.
According to Sinadef, from March to June of 2019, about 37,000 were recorded. Seventy-one thousand three hundred twenty-eight people died in Peru in the same period of 2020. The figure surpasses 2019 fatalities tally in over 34, 200 fatalities, with only 9,860 deaths due to the virus.
According to the Prospective Group, the group of experts advising the government, the remaining 24,400 deaths are suspected of COVID-19, given the scarcity of evidence and the increase in asymptomatic cases. In June, Peruvian Health Minister Victor Zamora stated that his office does not consider unproven and unconfirmed deaths as COVID-19 deaths.
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Sinadef reports 32,539 deaths since the early pandemic in the Peruvian capital, over 21,000 more than the 2019 toll. Lima’s health authorities have recorded about 4,600 COVID-19 deaths.
Indigenous women in #Peru initiated a legal case against the government for putting in risk the lives of #IndigenousPeoples during the pandemic @onamiap https://t.co/aIWJBrT4C0
— Omaira Bolaños (@OmaBoca) July 1, 2020
Lima is the pandemic epicenter, with 60 percent of Peru’s virus infections. Sinadef alleges there are about 17,000 COVID unconfirmed deaths. El Callao also shows the same pattern, with 2,200 unusual deaths.
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World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that governments include undetermined fatalities in the COVID-19 tally, and to conduct an oral autopsy, though data collection, and clinical signs.
As for Thursday night, Peru health authorities recorded 288,477 COVID-19 cases, 9,860 deaths, and 178,245 recoveries from the virus.
Featured image: Nueva Esperanza Cemetery workers carry a coffin. Lima, Peru. June, 2020. | Photo: Twitter/ @AbdulsatarBoch1
(Telesur)
