Excess Deaths in the U.S. from COVID-19 and Other Causes

The U.S. experienced 20% more deaths than expected from March through July 2020, with 67% of the excess documented to be from COVID-19; compared with other countries excess mortality in the U.S. remains higher.

Total U.S. death counts usually are consistent from year to year. This allows calculation of excess deaths, the gap between observed and expected deaths. Two groups have now examined excess deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Woolf and colleagues updated an analysis of March–April 2020 using data from the National Center for Health Statistics and U.S. Census Bureau from March through July. During this 5-month period there were 225,530 more deaths than expected, a 20% excess; 67% were attributed to COVID-19. Deaths from Alzheimer disease or dementia increased in March–April and again in June–July; the second increase coincided with increased COVID-19 cases in sunbelt states. COVID-19 deaths and excess mortality related to COVID-19 varied gre…

Reviewing Author

Mary E. Wilson, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardOneHealthTrust (formerly Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics, and Policy); Global Health Institute, University of Wisconsin

RoyaltiesUpToDate

Editorial BoardsJournal of Travel Medicine

Mary E. Wilson, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardOneHealthTrust (formerly Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics, and Policy); Global Health Institute, University of Wisconsin

RoyaltiesUpToDate

Editorial BoardsJournal of Travel Medicine

Excess Deaths in the U.S. from COVID-19 and Other Causes

Topics

Reviewing Author