World hunger, malnutrition soared last year mostly due to COVID-19 - U.N. agencies

FILE PHOTO: Food boxes are packed at the nonprofit New Life Centers' food pantry in Chicago, Illinois, U.S. March 16, 2021. REUTERS/Daniel Acker/File Photo

LONDON (Reuters) - World hunger and malnutrition levels worsened dramatically last year, with most of the increase likely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a multi-agency United Nations (U.N.) report published on Monday.

After remaining virtually unchanged for five years, the number of undernourished people rose to around 768 million last year - equivalent to 10% of the world's population and an increase of around 118 million versus 2019, the report said.