Thread by @ashtonpittman

If Mississippi were a country, we would now be No. 2 in COVID-19 deaths per 100,000 people worldwide since the pandemic began—behind only Peru.

COVID-19 Deaths Per 100k:
1. Peru - 612
2. Mississippi - 309
3. Hungary - 308
4. Bosnia & Herzegovina - 306
mississippifreepress.org/15908/mississi…

Mississippi's actual COVID death toll is also likely higher than the official 9,165.

Since 2020, we've had more than 12,000 excess deaths compared to the prior three years before the pandemic.

If 12k is our true death toll, our deaths per 100k is ~405.mississippifreepress.org/15908/mississi…

But why is Peru doing so much worse than everyone else? Numerous reasons, but here's two.

First, Peru had a very slow vaccine rollout. As of June 1 (when the delta variant was already spreading worldwide), just 4% were vaccinated.

It's 27% now.
google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.…

Second, Peru is more lax in counting COVID deaths than other countries.

It actually records slightly more COVID deaths (198k) than COVID deaths (194k). Peru counts deaths it deems likely COVID-19 deaths but had no positive tests for.
google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.…

Here's how Mississippi would rank among countries since the pandemic began if we just looked at excess deaths per 100k:

4. Russia - 446
5. Serbia - 445
6. Moldova - 429
7. Lithuania - 412
8. Mississippi - 405
9. South Africa - 394
10. Paraguay - 390
economist.com/graphic-detail…

Note: These nations have actually had negative excess deaths since the pandemic began vs. the average prior the pandemic, with New Zealand leading on that metric at -45 excess deaths per 100k since the pandemic began.

America's fate wasn't inevitable. economist.com/graphic-detail…

By *more "lax," I meant Peru counts COVID deaths more liberally without being as rigorous in verifying them as other nations.

h/t @nate_bowling who first made me aware we were closing in on 2nd in deaths per 100k worldwide

https://twitter.com/nate_bowling/status/1437972707942051847

*slightly more COVID DEATHS than EXCESS DEATHS, this tweet should say

*it actually records slightly more COVID deaths than EXCESS deaths.

My bad.

https://twitter.com/ashtonpittman/status/1438531221521408001