US COVID-19 Death Toll Underestimated

A new study published in Science Advances reveals that the early COVID-19 death toll in the United States was significantly higher than official counts, with an estimated 155,000 additional unrecognized deaths occurring outside hospitals in 2020 and 2021. Researchers, including Vern Stokes of Boston University and Elizabeth Wrigley-Field of the University of Minnesota, used artificial intelligence to identify these uncounted deaths. The study found that undiagnosed deaths disproportionately affected Hispanic people and other people of color, particularly in Southern and Southwestern states like United States===Alabama, United States===Oklahoma, and United States===South Carolina, and occurred mainly in the pandemic's initial months. Experts like Steven Woolf of Virginia Commonwealth University note that barriers to healthcare access persist for these marginalized communities. The antiquated death investigation system and lack of at-home testing were cited as key reasons for the inaccurate counts. The findings also touch upon the political debate surrounding COVID-19 death statistics, referencing former President Donald Trump's false claims on X (social network).