Late admission

• India has been severely affected by the delta variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus for four years.

• The pandemic led to health-care system overload, oxygen-supply shortages, and bodies floating in the Ganga.

• Reports from the Civil Registration System and independent surveys indicate a massive toll of millions, much more than the official tally.

• The government’s response was defensive and dismissive, attempting to undermine the findings.

• A recent report by the Registrar General of India revealed 21.5 lakh excess deaths in 2021, compared to 3.32 lakh reported COVID-19 deaths.

• The high number of excess deaths was estimated to be nearly 6.5 times more than the reported deaths.

• The delay in releasing this report and the Sample Registration System Report for 2021 reveals the government’s reluctance to assess the pandemic’s true impact.

• India’s civil registration system has become more robust over time, but medical certification of causes of deaths remains low compared to other developing countries.