Muslims suffered highest number of deaths in India's first wave of COVID-19: report

A recent research paper, based on the National Family Health Survey, revealed that India's Muslim community was majorly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in its first year, suffering the highest number of deaths.

According to the report, Muslims lost 5.4 years of life between 2019 and 2020, more than any other religious group, including Hindus and upper-caste individuals.

Dr Ashish Gupta, a co-author of the research paper and post-doctoral research fellow at Oxford University, attributed the disparity to the marginalisation of Muslims in India, which has intensified in recent years.

Gupta cited the Delhi riots in early 2020 as an example, which further exacerbated the plight of Muslims and cut off healthcare facilities in Muslim-majority areas.

The Tablighi Jamaat gathering in Delhi's Nizamuddin area in March 2020 was also targeted, with the government declaring it an "epicenter of the outbreak."

The government's move led to communalised rumors and fake news surrounding the spread of the coronavirus, Gupta added.

The report highlights the need to address the healthcare disparities and marginalisation faced by India's Muslim community.