127 Journalists Died In 3 Months From COVID-19

Statistics from Geneva-based Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) has it that 127 journalists in 31 countries have died from COVID-19 over the past three months.

Blaise Lempen in a statement noted that between March 1 and May 31, at least 127 journalists died due to COVID-19. Around two-thirds of them were on duty. 72 victims died in May alone.

Latin America was the most affected continent with at least 62 journalists, followed by Europe with 23, Asia 17, North America 13, and Africa 12.

Peru is the country with the highest number of victims, 15, followed by Brazil and Mexico with 13 victims each, and 12 in Ecuador. There were 12 victims in the US and eight in Russia and Pakistan each.

Next in line comes the UK with five, Bangladesh with four deaths, then three deaths each in Bolivia, Cameroon, the Dominican Republic, France, India, Italy, and Spain.

Two victims were identified each in Algeria, Colombia, Egypt, Sweden, and one in Austria, Belgium, Canada, Iran, Japan, Morocco, Nicaragua, Nigeria, South Africa, Togo, and Zimbabwe.

Blaise Lempen disclosed that, “Media workers play an important role in the fight against the novel coronavirus. They have to inform about the spread of the disease,” said “A number of them died for lack of adequate protective measures when doing their job.”

Several hundred other media workers tested positive for the virus, and some media had to be temporarily closed.

Source: firstnewsroom.com