Study of deaths related to the COVID-19 pandemic estimates the number of deaths could be much higher than currently reported in Canada

The latest study of deaths related to the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada estimates the number of deaths could much higher than currently reported.

A study commissioned by the Royal Society of Canada found about six-thousand deaths between February and November of last year were linked to the pandemic but appeared to have gone undetected, unreported or unattributed to the virus.

Dr. Tara Moriarty led the study and estimates, if fatalities have been missed at the same rate since last November, the overall number of deaths may be two times higher than the reported number of just over 26-thousand.

The study estimates missed COVID-19 deaths most likely occurred in low-income, high-density, racialized neighbourhoods of essential workers and recent immigrants and among clinically frail seniors who lived at home.