Global Life Expectancy Reduced by Nearly 2 Years Due to COVID-19

Between 2020 and 2021, 12.9 million people died due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that life expectancy worldwide has decreased due to the coronavirus, with an average reduction of 1.8 years.

The organization's report indicates that “global life expectancy and average age reverted to 2016 levels in 2020, and to 2012 levels by 2021.” The WHO noted that North and South America, as well as Southeast Asia, experienced the most significant impact, with life expectancy dropping by nearly three years in those regions.