Covid Was the Third Leading Cause of Death in the U.S. Last Year
Covid killed more than 415,000 people in 2021 and contributed to the deaths of 45,000 more people, a 20% increase over the first year of the pandemic, when the virus was involved in the deaths of more than 384,000 people.
Only heart disease and cancer killed more people than Covid in 2021, taking the lives of about 693,000 and 604,000 people, respectively. Covid-19 was the third leading cause of death in the U.S. last year, with only heart disease and cancer killing more people,Covid killed more than 415,000 people in 2021 and contributed to the deaths of 45,000 more people, about 20% more than the first year of the pandemic, when the virus was involved in the deaths of more than 384,000 people.
The CDC data, based on death records among U.S. residents from January through December 2021, is provisional and subject to change as more information is reported.