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x1uo3yd t1_jd4oixw wrote

Yes, one part of it is due to the sheer size of the population leading to larger total numbers (even if incidence rate is equal to other parts of the world).

Another part of it is the fact that some religions there venerate children with certain visible deformities - they take it as a sign of being blessed/touched by the gods. This means that these children are showcased prominently, rather than being cloistered away for sake of pity or shame. So, even if the numbers are comparable to other parts of the world, they are more visible or more often encountered.

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