Beyond deaths attributed to the disease itself, the coronavirus pandemic could also have had 'indirect consequences' on mortality, Statistics Canada says in new report.

The two main agencies tracking the virus, the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization, have access to the same raw data, yet disagree on the interpretation.

Heart researchers say there's a surprising reason Canada has seen higher COVID-19 deaths than many countries with fewer health-care resources -- more Canadians live longer with chronic disease, putting them at greater risk of dying from the virus.