Thread by @NPRinskeep

Remember when Iran was a hot spot? Official coughed on TV? Leaders seemed endangered?

Iran reports 9,996 dead. Population 1/4 the US. A comparable US rate would be 9,996 x 4 = 39,984.

US death count: 121,279.

Can't verify Iran numbers? Double them: the US rate is still higher.

All numbers for this thread are from the Johns Hopkins count as of Wednesday morning June 24: coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html

It's possible to completely dismiss Iran, with its authoritarian government and unfree press. Who knows what's happening there? But South Korea, open and democratic, reports 281 dead, with about 1/6 the US population. A similar rate in the US: 281 x 5 = 1,686 dead.

We can dismiss both Iran and SK because they are smaller than the US. But Brazil is big and diverse, about 2/3 the US population, 209 million. Brazil's death count: 54,645. A comparable rate in the US is 54,645 x 1.6 = 87,432. So Brazil's reported rate is lower than the US.

We can presume all these countries miscounted. Some officials are in denial, and much is unknown. But Germany counts pretty well. 8,926 dead, and a population 1/4 that of the US. So a similar rate in the US would be 8,926 x 4 = 35,704.

Again the actual US death count: 121,279.

The US isn't ahead of all countries. The UK death rate is about the same. Italy is well ahead of the US. 34,675 dead with 1/5 the US population, so the same rate would be 34,675 x 5 = 173,375. Far beyond the US. Though the US is catching up.

All these comparisons are very rough. Standards vary. It's early yet. Even US numbers have been questioned. What's consistent is that the US, with by far the most reported total cases and deaths in the world, is also among the world leaders in reported per capita deaths.

The president has complained that the US case number is inflated because of so much testing, and says some cases aren't serious. Experts find that claim false. But to be clear, this thread does not address case numbers. It focuses on the actual reported numbers of dead people.