COVID-19 broke out in the midst of high social inequality and generated negative synergies. A higher lethality among people residing in areas with a higher concentration of poverty.

Premature deaths can often be avoided either through early public health interventions. More than 2.5 million people in the Americas died prematurely in 2019.

Non-communicable and chronic diseases (NCDs) and external causes have replaced communicable (infectious) diseases as the main causes of death.