Main content

Did the WHO get some of its excess death estimates wrong?

Tim Harford looks at the World Health Organisation’s latest estimates of the pandemic’s death toll

The World Health Organisation recently released some new estimates of the global death toll of the pandemic. But the figures for a few countries have caused controversy. Tim Harford speaks to Professor Jon Wakefield, who worked on the analysis - and Indian data journalist Rukmini S about the debate that’s erupted in India over the figures.

Available now

9 minutes

Last on

Mon 16 May 2022 09:50GMT
BBC World Service

More episodes

Previous

Have the oceans become 30% more acidic?

Next

Are just 100 companies responsible for 71% of global emissions?

See all episodes from More or Less

Broadcasts

  • Sat 14 May 2022 04:50GMT
    BBC World Service
  • Sat 14 May 2022 22:50GMT
    BBC World Service Americas and the Caribbean
  • Sat 14 May 2022 23:50GMT
    BBC World Service Online, UK DAB/Freeview, News Internet & Europe and the Middle East only
  • Sun 15 May 2022 00:50GMT
    BBC World Service South Asia & East Asia only
  • Sun 15 May 2022 13:50GMT
    BBC World Service News Internet
  • Sun 15 May 2022 22:50GMT
    BBC World Service East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa only
  • Mon 16 May 2022 09:50GMT
    BBC World Service

Unlock the history and truth behind the data with The OU

Unlock the history and truth behind the data with The OU

Explore how numbers shape, and sometimes mislead us, with The Open University.

When can you trust statistics?

When can you trust statistics?

BBC Ideas discovers three easy ways to help make sense of statistics.

Podcast

  • More or Less

    Tim Harford explains the numbers and statistics used in everyday life.