Mexico’s national statistics agency has published an analysis of death certificates that shows coronavirus fatalities during the first eight months of last year were significantly higher than the federal government has reported.
The statistic’s agency INEGI has released datashowing there were nearly 109,000 COVID-19 deaths in Mexico from January to August 2020. That’s about 45% higher than the 75,000 deaths the Health Ministry reported during that time period.
The discrepancy is at least partially due to the high number of people in Mexico dying at home instead of in hospitals, according to INEGI leaders. The agency used death certificates to identify coronavirus fatalities, while the health ministry relies on hospital data.
INEGI also reported nearly 38% more deaths during that time period than in previous years — or about 185,000 excess deaths.
About 58% of those excess deaths were COVID-19 fatalities, though it’s likely the virus caused even more of those deaths, both directly and because people with existing health conditions couldn’t, or were afraid to, access the care they needed during the pandemic.
