Guwahati News Desk: Nearly 2000 journalists have died after succumbing to Covid-19 in 94 countries, since the month of March, 2020.
The information was released on Friday by the Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) in Geneva.
According to the reports, at least 1400 media workers succumbed to the virus last year (2021), i.e. 116 per month or some 4 per day on average.
In addition, it was found that Latin America was leading the death toll with half of the victims, i.e. with a total of 955 deaths. Asia following next with 556 dead, ahead of Europe 263, then Africa 98 and North America with 68.
However, more than 50 casualties are still under investigation.
Meanwhile, Friday’s report provided “a low overall estimate”, because the actual number of victims is certainly higher, but the cause of journalists’ deaths in some cases have not been specified or rather their deaths have not been announced, and also because in some countries there is no reliable information about the number of deaths.
Regarding the first half of 2021, the virus had killed 1,175 journalists, and for the second half of 2021, 225 deaths were registered, with an increase in Europe, and a sharp decrease in Latin America and Asia (in December 25 journalists died, in November 28, in October 27, in September 33, in August 42 and in July 70).
Furthermore, although the PEC is hopeful that the slowdown of Covid cases will continue in 2022, but the rising number of omicron infection cases have given birth to newer concerns.
