CRS confirms Kerala data is closer to actual number of COVID-19 deaths

According to data from the Civil Registration System (CRS), Kerala has recorded 68,981 excess deaths during the pandemic, in contrast to the official figure of 44,235 reported by the state. Kerala’s data has become more aligned with the actual toll, partly due to a more transparent and robust surveillance system, which has shown smaller discrepancies between officially reported and actual deaths from the virus compared to other regions in the country. Significant discrepancies were documented in Gujarat (263,253 excess deaths against an official toll of 5,816) and Madhya Pradesh. According to public health experts, several factors have contributed to the discrepancy between the official count of deaths from the disease and the excess deaths in different states, including limitations in data collection mechanisms. A robust health infrastructure and effective surveillance systems have enabled more accurate recording of cases and deaths, and facilitated hospital treatment of severe cases, with access to intensive care and free expensive drugs. However, epidemiologists have explained that the relatively lower death rates in India and Asian countries compared to the West are likely due to genetic factors or pre-existing immunity to other diseases. For this reason, international comparisons of data should be handled with caution. The Indian health authorities’ next goal is to harmonise and improve the accuracy of health data collection systems across the country in preparation for future epidemics.