Daily Data InsightsCOVID-19 raised respiratory infection death rates to levels not seen in many decades

September 09, 2024

COVID-19 raised respiratory infection death rates to levels not seen in many decades

The chart shows the death rates from respiratory infections in various countries since 1950.
The data comes from the WHO Mortality Database, which compiles data on causes of death from each country. The data typically comes with a few years of delay since it needs to be standardized.
It allows us to look back to see the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic from a historical perspective.
As you can see, there has been a long-run decline in respiratory infection death rates. This is due to factors such as improved sanitation, healthcare, and vaccination for diseases such as influenza, tuberculosis, and pertussis.
But during the pandemic, respiratory infection death rates surged massively, and surpassed levels from decades ago.

The chart shows the death rates from respiratory infections in countries since 1950.

Data comes from the WHO Mortality Database, which compiles data reported by each country. The data typically comes with a few years of delay since it needs to be standardized.

It helps us to look back and see the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic from a historical perspective.

As you can see, there has been a long-run decline in respiratory infection death rates. This is due to improved sanitation, healthcare, and vaccination against diseases such as influenza, tuberculosis, and pertussis.

But during the pandemic, death rates from respiratory infections surged massively due to COVID-19 and reached levels not seen in many decades.

Explore the data on respiratory infection death rates for other countries →

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Yesterday

The global number of people aged 65 years and older is set to double within the next thirty years

Today, there are around 830 million people aged 65 and older in the world. According to the latest UN data, it is projected to grow to 1.7 billion by 2054.

Asia, the world's most populous continent, is at the heart of this change, with its elderly population expected to more than double.

While rapid population growth has driven some of this increase, better healthcare and longer life spans also play a huge role.

It’s a great achievement that so many more people are living longer, healthier lives. At the same time, the working-age population will only grow 20% between 2024 and 2054. Societies will need to figure out how to care for more elderly people while improving everyone’s quality of life.

Explore population growth across countries with our explorer →

November 14

Packaging is the source of 40% of the planet’s plastic waste

Around 40% of the world’s plastic waste comes from packaging. Packaging also makes up a significant share in the three regions that generate the most plastic waste: the United States, Europe, and China.

Packaging accounts for 37% of total plastic waste in the United States. It’s 38% in Europe, and in China, it's 45%. Together, these regions account for 60% of global packaging waste generation. This data comes from the OECD Global Plastics Outlook.

These figures show the vast impact of packaging on global plastic waste.

Explore how other sectors contribute to plastic waste production →

A line chart showing the change in the electricity mix of Australia over time. Coal power has declined from over 80% to less than 50%. Solar and wind are growing strongly.

November 13

Australia is replacing coal and gas power with solar and wind

At the turn of the millennium, Australia got more than 80% of its electricity from coal. This has dropped to less than 50%.

The chart shows how the country’s electricity mix has changed in recent decades. The data comes from the Energy Institute’s Statistical Review of World Energy.

In the 2000s and early 2010s, coal was initially replaced by gas, with only moderate growth in solar and wind. But in the last five years, solar and wind have been deployed much more quickly. Gas is now on the decline, too. In 2023, solar overtook gas to become Australia’s second-largest electricity source.

While coal is declining, it still supplies much more of Australia’s power than most high-income countries.

Explore how electricity sources are changing in other countries →

Cancer is one of the most common causes of death worldwide. In several countries, it is the most common cause of death.
But which cancer types cause the most deaths?
The map presents the most common type of cancer death among women. This is based on the cause listed on death certificates, compiled by the WHO Mortality Database. Unfortunately, many countries are not shown as they lack sufficient death registration.
Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in many countries.
However, lung cancer leads in parts of North America, Europe, and Australia. It is largely driven by smoking.
In other countries, stomach, liver, or cervical cancers lead. Many cases are preventable: most stomach cancer cases are caused by H. pylori infections; most liver cancers by chronic inflammation from alcohol or hepatitis infections; and almost all cervical cancers are caused by HPV infections, which are preventable through HPV vaccination.

November 12

Which type of cancer kills the most women in each country?

Cancer is one of the most common causes of death. But which cancer types cause the most deaths?

The map presents the most common type of cancer that kills women in each country. This is based on the cause listed on death certificates, compiled by the WHO Mortality Database. Unfortunately, many countries are not shown as they lack sufficient death registration.

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in many countries.

However, lung cancer leads in parts of North America, Europe, and Australia. It is primarily driven by smoking.

In other countries, stomach, liver, or cervical cancers are at the top. Many of these cases are preventable: most stomach cancer cases are caused by H. pylori infections; many liver cancer cases by chronic inflammation from alcohol or hepatitis infections; and almost all cervical cancers are caused by HPV infections, which are preventable through HPV vaccination.

Explore the interactive map with a more detailed breakdown →

Military spending per armed forces personnel, 2020," showing military expenditure per person in various countries, expressed in US dollars. The chart ranks countries by spending, with the United States at the top, spending $630,957 per armed forces personnel. Other countries listed, in descending order of spending, include the United Kingdom ($405,653), Germany ($296,130), Saudi Arabia ($241,781), France ($171,229), China ($107,499), Russia ($53,332), South Africa ($40,909), Brazil ($30,364), and India ($25,126). The data is adjusted for inflation but does not account for differences in the cost of living between countries. The data sources are the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute and multiple additional sources compiled by the World Bank.

November 11

The US military spends much more per service member than other major powers

Relative to its personnel, the United States spends much more on its military than other major countries.

The chart shows data on military spending per service member, sometimes called a military’s “capital intensity”.

We calculated this metric by dividing spending data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) by data on personnel from multiple sources via the World Bank.

This indicator reflects differences in salaries and benefits for military personnel and more advanced and costly weaponry.

In 2020, the United States spent well over half a million dollars per service member. This was 50% more than the United Kingdom, more than double Germany’s spending per personnel, about six times China’s, and more than twenty times that of Brazil or India.

Explore the capital intensity of militaries worldwide →

November 08

British people see immigration as a major concern for the country, but not in their own lives

Ipsos surveyed British people about the most critical issues facing the country and the most important issues they face personally.

The chart shows the answers across nine different issues. Immigration stands out for having the largest difference between national and personal concerns. 32% see it as a top issue for Britain, but only 4% feel it is one of the most important issues they face personally.

For other topics like healthcare and crime, people also show more concern for Britain than themselves, but the difference is much smaller.

See how immigration numbers compare across countries →

Bar chart showing that when people are asked if most other people can be trusted, responses vary significantly around the world

November 07

When asked if most people can be trusted, responses vary significantly around the world

For decades, the World Values Survey and European Values Study projects have examined people’s values through their surveys. One of the questions on trust asks: “Generally speaking, would you say that most people can be trusted or that you need to be very careful in dealing with people?”

This chart shows the share of respondents who answered “most people can be trusted” across different countries.

As you can see, reported trust in others varies widely from country to country. In the Nordic nations, over 60% of respondents believe most people can be trusted, while in France and Italy, this figure drops to around 26%. At the lower end, as few as 5% of people in countries like Colombia and Peru express trust in others.

It’s worth noting that interpretations of survey-based “trust” measures are complex: what people mean when they answer this question could reflect various ideas about trust, personal experiences, or cultural attitudes toward trustworthiness.

Explore trust levels for all countries →