They died cause it was politically convenient for the party in power at the time. And when the transition happened it was still convenient that they die.

They died since they were idiots and those in power benefited from their deaths. Ironically since the majority were those that wouldn’t engage in basic precautions the rest of us benefited as well as a species. Those with Genetic disorders got fucked, but they were already and will continue to be since our species tend to be stupid in large groups.