Its always been the same sort of thing throughout the years. Agendas perhaps. Stats are used as and when 'they' want, whoever 'they' are.
A lot of deaths, nobody gives a toss. They happen, and thats that, Then all of a sudden, someone with an agenda makes it all about their agenda. Someone usually in some sort of power, only caring about theit ownsort of power, not gibving a toss about anything else, just their own power and agenda. Those deaths then become massively importanrt, until the next power crazy tyrant steps up and demands that their agenda is now the big big impotant one.
Meanwhile, whilst the 'important' deaths get all the attention, all other deaths are totally meaningless and not in any way important.