December 18, 2020

COVID-19 as the Leading Cause of Death in the United States

Category: Article Summary

Topic: Public Health Policy and Practice

Keywords (Tags): mortality, public health

• By October 2020, COVID-19 had become the leading cause of death in the United States for people over age 35. In October 2020, COVID-19 had become the third leading cause of death for persons aged 45 through 84 years and the second leading cause of death for those aged 85 years or older. COVID-19 mortality rates now exceed deaths due to heart disease and cancer (1,700 and 1,600 deaths per day, respectively), and it is estimated that excess deaths may be 20% higher than publicly reported COVID-19 death counts.

Woolf et al. (Dec 17, 2020). COVID-19 as the Leading Cause of Death in the United States. JAMA. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2774465