Covid-19 related hunger to kill more people than the disease itself, warns Oxfam

More people could die from COVID-19-related hunger than the disease itself, warns a report from campaigning group Oxfam International.

As many as 12,000 people per day could die from hunger linked to Covid-19 by the end of the year, which is potentially more than the disease, according to ‘The Hunger Virus’ report.

The group, which aims to alleviate global poverty, notes that the global mortality rate for COVID-19 reached its highest recorded point in April, at just over 10,000 deaths per day.

 Oxfam also reveals that the economic fallout from COVID-19 could push an additional 121 million people to the brink of starvation this year through mass unemployment, disruption to food production and supplies, and declining aid.

The report cites 10 extreme hunger hotspots as areas of major concern: Yemen, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Afghanistan, Venezuela, the West African Sahel, Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan, Syria and Haiti. It also said that the middle-income countries such as India, South Africa and Brazil are also experiencing rapidly rising levels of hunger with millions being tipped over the edge.

Chema Vera, Oxfam’s Interim executive director said, “COVID-19 is the last straw for millions of people already struggling with the impacts of conflict, climate change, inequality and a broken food system that has impoverished millions of food producers and workers.”

“Meanwhile, those at the top are continuing to make a profit: eight of the biggest food and drink companies paid out over $18 billion to shareholders since January even as the pandemic was spreading across the globe ―ten times more than the UN says is needed to stop people going hungry,” he added.

“Governments must contain the spread of this deadly disease but it is equally vital they take action to stop the pandemic killing as many ―if not more― people from hunger,” said Vera.

“Governments can save lives now by fully funding the UN’s COVID-19 appeal, making sure aid gets to those who need it most, and cancelling the debts of developing countries to free up funding for social protection and healthcare. To end this hunger crisis, governments must also build fairer, more robust, and more sustainable food systems, that put the interests of food producers and workers before the profits of big food and agribusiness,” added Vera.

As of Thursday morning, more than 12 million coronavirus cases have been diagnosed worldwide, with over 3 million in the U.S., according to data from Johns Hopkins University. The disease has accounted for at least 549,900 deaths around the world.