Trending Topics

COVID-19 drops to 10th cause of death in the U.S.

There were nearly 3.1 million deaths last year in the U.S., down from 3.3 million in 2022

US Deaths

The sun rises on St. Mary’s Cemetery, April 19, 2019, in McKees Rocks, Pa.

Andrew Rush/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette via AP, File

Associated Press

U.S. death rates fell last year for all age groups compared with 2022, federal health officials said Thursday.

Here’s what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data showed:

COVID-19 fell to the 10th leading cause of death. Early in the pandemic, the coronavirus was the nation’s third leading cause of death. It dropped to fourth in 2022.

— The leading causes of death were heart disease, cancer and a category of injuries that includes gun deaths and drug overdoses.

— There were nearly 3.1 million deaths last year in the U.S., down from 3.3 million in 2022. For many years before the pandemic, deaths usually rose year-to-year, in part because the nation’s population grows. COVID-19 accelerated that trend, making 2021 the deadliest in U.S. history at 3.4 million deaths. But the number dropped in 2022 as the pandemic ebbed.

— Death rates by race and ethnicity were down for all groups, though disparities remain. Because certain populations are younger or older than others, scientists use age-adjusted death rates to compare groups. These age-adjusted death rates were lowest among multiracial people and Asian Americans, and highest among Black people.

The CDC provisional data is based on death certificate information collected so far. Final data is expected later this year.

Trending
Austin-Travis County EMS Motor Medics participate in advanced motorcycle training to improve response during crowded events
President Trump toured flood-ravaged Kerr County, praising first responders and local officials while avoiding criticism over FEMA cuts
Backed by a voter-approved mill levy, Joliet EMS has hired its first two full-time responders, boosting emergency care and marking a major step forward in long-term sustainability for the once fully volunteer-run service
A new initiative embeds social workers with first responders during 911 calls for mental health and substance use crises in Cuyahoga County