The forty-fifth American president has often boasted that his country will be the winner in the coronavirus pandemic in terms of the number of deaths per capita. His country is the first in everything, he keeps swaggering, including medical wonders galore. Now that the pandemic appears to be easing off, here are the latest numbers for the countries led by the five most powerful humans on planet earth in terms of deaths per million inhabitants: Modi - 2, Xi - 3, Putin - 16, Erdoğan - 48, and Trump - 263. As ever, numbers are the last to lie. And they come from nowhere else than the School of Medicine at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. America, my most heartfelt condolences!

Addendum I (May 16, 2020)

As soon as I checked the pandemic mortality figures for the last time, wrapped up this piece, and posted it on the World Wide Web, I decided to send it to the mighty five pasted on postcards. The unexpected decision electrified me. For this purpose, I selected yet another postcard from my prolific London days (“An Extraterrestrial Scene,” January 9, 2020). On my way to the post office, I felt like flying yesterday morning. I was euphoric, to say the least. Even though the ranking would annoy at least one of the recipients, I was still eager to share it with all of them. The very fact that I considered them the most powerful humans at this historical moment should be enough for them all, I reckoned. And now I hope that the postcards will reach them as soon as possible—say, a week at most. The way the pandemic is shaping, the ranking is likely to remain unchanged in this period. The only change that would not surprise me in a few more weeks regards the first two in the ranking. Chances are that they will change places sooner or later. Be that as it may, I am delighted by this exercise in competition between the mighty five. Based on robust numbers, it cannot but lead to a better world. Hooray!

Addendum II (May 29, 2020)

Deaths per million inhabitants due to the pandemic are changing at a clip. Countries in South America and Africa are joining the fray. As of today, though, the ranking of the mighty five is unlikely to change ever again: Xi - 3, Modi - 4, Putin - 30, Erdoğan - 53, and Trump - 314. By now, America leads with the number of deaths associated with the coronavirus, which is well past a hundred-thousand already. The number of those infected is pretty close to two-million, as well. In short, Trump’s boasts about American supremacy in everything under the sun will be remembered only by his foes. Not including his mates from the above list, I hope. After all, the whole lot is in the same boat, as it were.

Addendum III (June 27, 2020)

Well, well. The pandemic is far from over. All around the globe, it is actually reaching new heights. Today, the coronavirus cases are close to ten-million, and deaths will shortly climb to half a million. And the ranking of the mighty five has changed once again: Xi - 3, Modi - 12, Erdoğan - 60, Putin - 61, and Trump - 387. The way the pandemic is shaping, though, Putin and Erdoğan may change places again. Judging by the numbers provided by the School of Medicine at Johns Hopkins University, Xi and Trump are the ultimate winner and loser of the game. Their positions in the ranking seem to be unassailable at this juncture. As ever, one can only hope that the most powerful humans on planet earth will learn a few things from the above numbers, which are loud and clear. Fingers crossed.

Addendum IV (August 18, 2020)

The pandemic appears to be evening out by now. For a week or so, there are about two-hundred-thousand infections and around five-thousand deaths per day. Twenty-two-million humans are infected and there are close to eight-hundred-thousand deaths due to the pandemic around the globe. By now, the average number of deaths per million inhabitants in a country is almost exactly one-hundred. As for the mighty five, the ranking has not changed, but deaths per capita are rather different: Xi - 3, Modi - 38, Erdoğan - 71, Putin - 109, and Trump - 524. Once again, Xi and Trump are sure to keep their places in the ranking through the end of the pandemic, which can be expected sometime next year. By then, Trump’s presidency may well be history. Although many surprises can be expected until the presidential elections in the States, which will take place in early November, deaths per capita in the country will be close to six-hundred. And this is likely be the deathknell of the forty-fifth president of the mightiest country on the planet since World War II. There can be hardly any doubt that he bungled the country’s response to the pandemic. To Trump’s dismay, the numbers collected so far are available to all and sundry.

Addendum V (November 18, 2020)

Sadly, the pandemic is far from evening out by now. It has reached new heights as of late. The last few weeks, there are around fife-hundred-thousand infections and about eight-thousand deaths per day. Fifty-six million humans are infected already and there are close to one-million and four-hundred-thousand deaths associated with the pandemic across the world. The average number of deaths per million inhabitants is just over one-hundred and seventy. Although the ranking of the mighty five has remained the same over the last few months, deaths per capita are rather different in most cases: Xi - 3, Modi - 95, Erdoğan - 138, Putin - 236, and Trump - 767. By now, Trump’s presidency is indeed history, but his successor will not be able to change the ranking. Which is why I am unlikely to return to this piece ever again. No matter when and how the pandemic reaches its end in the future, the numbers collected so far tell the story in no uncertain terms. Three cheers for the mighty four after Trump’s lackluster departure early next year!

Addendum VI (March 25, 2022)

The pandemic appears to be on its hind legs as of late, and it is time to wrap up this silly story. Much has happened since the penning of the original piece. To begin with, Joe Biden is the forty-sixth American president. Donald Trump seems to be eager to return to the throne in 2024, but his chances are rather slim two years ahead of the presidential elections. And Vladimir Putin has launched a tottering invasion of Ukraine, which has changed the geopolitical scene, perhaps forever. World War III is on everyone’s lips by now. Returning to the pandemic, the latest numbers from the School of Medicine at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, are worthy of note. In terms of deaths per million inhabitants, the ranking of the most powerful humans remains unchanged, but some of the numbers are mindboggling: Xi - 3, Modi - 368, Erdoğan - 1,136, Putin - 2,508, and Biden - 2,998. And Biden is the loser, of course. So much for Trump’s swagger, as ever. America, my most heartfelt condolences one more time!