New CDC Report Shows Drop in US Covid-19 Deaths
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported on Thursday that there was a decrease in the number of deaths in the US last year, and Covid-19 has now fallen down to become the fourth leading cause of death in the country.
Deaths due to Covid-19 now rank below those caused by heart disease, cancer, drug overdoses, motor vehicle deaths, and shootings. In 2020 and 2021, only heart disease and cancer were ahead of the coronavirus in terms of causing deaths.
2022 Sees First Drop in Deaths Since 2009
2022 saw the first drop in deaths since 2009. The count for 2022 was around 3.3 million deaths, a 5% decrease from the previous year. However, this number is still significantly higher than in years prior to the pandemic. The CDC has cautioned that these numbers are preliminary and may change slightly after further analysis.
Covid-19 Death Rates Fell for Most Americans
Death rates associated with Covid-19 fell for almost all Americans. Last year, the virus was considered the underlying cause of some 187,000 deaths in the United States, representing 6% of all deaths. However, the South and an adjacent region stretching west to Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico had the highest Covid-19 death rates, according to CDC data.
Increased Death Rates from Heart Disease and Cancer During the Pandemic
The CDC also reported that death rates from heart disease and cancer increased during the pandemic. The cancer death rate had been on the decline for 20 years before the pandemic.
There was a slight decrease in the number of injury deaths last year, falling to about 218,000 compared with 219,500 from the previous year. However, CDC officials have cautioned that this number could rise as data on death certificates for injury deaths tend to take longer to obtain as many involve police investigations.
Overall, while the 2020 and 2021 pandemic years saw an increase in deaths, 2022 offers some hope with the first decrease in deaths in over a decade. However, the CDC continues to caution people to remain vigilant and take necessary precautions to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
