COVID-19 was nation’s third leading cause of death in 2020

The COVID-19 death rate was highest among Hispanics, men and those 85 and older

(AP)

Many families have been hit hard by the loss of a loved one from COVID-19.

According to a CDC report published on Wednesday, COVID-19 was the third leading cause of death in 2020 after heart disease and cancer.

Recommended Videos



Here’s a breakdown of the 3,358,814 overall deaths in the U.S. in 2020:

  • Heart disease: about 690,000 deaths
  • Cancer: about 598,000 deaths
  • COVID-19: An estimated 377,883, about 11%

Since March 2020, Virginia has recorded 10,268 COVID-19 related deaths.

After observing the data from different groups, CDC found that COVID-19 death rates were highest among Hispanics and American Indian or Alaska Native groups, men and people aged 85 and older.

Overall death rates were highest in non-Hispanic Black and non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native groups.

Here’s a breakdown of the 10 leading causes of death in the U.S. for 2020:

Provisional* number of leading underlying causes of death — National Vital Statistics System, United States, 2020 (CDC)

* National Vital Statistics System provisional data are incomplete. Data from December are less complete due to reporting lags. Deaths that occurred in the United States among residents of U.S. territories and foreign countries were excluded.*


About the Author:

Jazmine Otey joined the 10 News team in February 2021.