Thread by @RijoMJohn

*⃣Thread on #COVID19 deaths*⃣
Officially reported C19 deaths in India crossed half a million (500087) although many studies estimate the true number to be between 3-4 million.

This chart shows % share of reported deaths & compares it with the % adult population in each state.
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Some states stand out on this chart:
#Kerala with only 2.84% of adults has reported 11.3% of all deaths.
#Maharashtra with 9.7% adults reported 28.6% of deaths.
#Uttarpradesh with 15.7% of adults reported only 4.7% of deaths.
#Bihar w/ 7.8% adults reported just 2.5% of deaths.
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#Gujarat with 5.2% adults reported only 2.1% deaths.
#Rajasthan with 5.5% adults reported just 1.9% of deaths.
#Telangana with 3% adults reported only 0.8% deaths.
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Now take a look at the number of doctors per 10,000 population in each state in India:

Source: statista.com/statistics/124…
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Here, take a look at the percentage of deaths usually registered in each state even during a normal year.
Source: CRS Report 2018.
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In general, states with relatively better healthcare infrastructure & death registration have reported a higher % of deaths in comparison to their share in the adult population.
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That some of these states have hugely under-reported the deaths is obvious from the fact they have approved #COVID19 ex-gratia compensation claims many times higher than their officially recorded deaths. Table by @BollyNumbers.

https://twitter.com/BollyNumbers/status/1489301273774297088?s=20&t=7vhfRnsoeM27tLgpLY_MSA

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Obviously, the official discourse on this will be purely based on reported deaths which would essentially reward the states that reported lower deaths & punish the ones which were relatively better at reporting.

But that doesn't erase the fact that the dead are dead.
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While GoI was quick to "debunk" most, if not all, studies estimating the true C19 deaths in India, so far, they haven't come up with one of their own, either.
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https://twitter.com/RijoMJohn/status/1418142890283261958?s=20&t=tb9hGSsFYXpA8M88fP9hPw

It can't be that C19 wreaked havoc in some states w/ relatively better health infra & death reporting while sparing the others in the same country.

Timely completion of the population census would bring out better estimates of excess deaths & GoI should facilitate it ASAP.

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