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The Press Emblem Campaign (PEC), a media organization based in Geneva, Switzerland, has announced that at least 840 journalists have died from the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in 68 countries, which means more than two journalists died per day on average.
According to the PEC, this is the heaviest death toll recorded in the media community since the Second World War.
Sharing information about Turkey as well, the organization has indicated that 21 journalists have lost their lives in the country due to the virus.
Commenting on the findings compiled by the PEC, Secretary-General Blaise Lempen has said, "The PEC deplores this large number of victims from the coronavirus and sends its condolences to families and colleagues. It is essential that now journalists can have rapid access to vaccination so that they can do their work in the field without endangering their lives. We hope that numbers, still very high in January-February, will start to drop."
Over 50 percent of deaths in Latin America
The organization has shared the following information about the number of journalists who lost their lives due to COVID-19:
From March 2020 to the end of February 2021, of the 840 journalists who succumbed to the virus, more than half died in Latin America, 458 in total in 18 countries. Asia follows with 151 deaths in 17 countries, ahead of Europe with 147 deaths in 16 countries, North America with 45 deaths in 2 countries and Africa with 39 deaths in 15 countries.
The strongest increase since the start of 2021 has taken place in Brazil with the death of nearly 50 journalists from the COVID-19 in two months, which can be explained by a particularly chaotic political situation.
Peru remains the country with the heaviest death toll, with 108 media workers who have died from the coronavirus since March 2020. Brazil is in second place with 102 victims, ahead of Mexico, which deplores 87 journalists who died from COVID-19.
India follows with 56 journalists. Italy is the most bereaved European country with 46 journalists' deaths. Bangladesh follows with 44 journalists.
In the US, 44 victims of COVID-19 have been counted among the media, then 42 in Ecuador. In Colombia, 37 journalists were killed by the virus, then comes Great Britain with 26 deaths, ahead of Pakistan with 23 deaths.
'Total number is certainly higher'
Commenting on the findings of the report, the PEC has indicated that the origin of the infection is often difficult to determine, and it is not possible to differentiate journalists who have become infected at work from those who have been infected in their private lives.
The PEC tally has been prepared based on information from local media, national associations of journalists and regional PEC correspondents.
The PEC has said that "the total number of victims is certainly higher, as the cause of death of journalists is sometimes not specified or their death not announced. In some countries, there is no reliable information." (NÖ/SD)
