China News Service, December 23, comprehensive report, US federal data shows that under the drag of the new crown epidemic and the increase in the death toll caused by the overdose of opioids, the life expectancy of Americans will drop again in 2021, reaching the lowest level since 1996 .
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on the 22nd local time that in 2021, the new crown will become the third leading cause of death for the second consecutive year, and the rise in deaths caused by drug overdoses has also dragged down life expectancy.
Overdose deaths have quadrupled in the past 20 years.
Unintentional injuries, including drug overdose, are the fourth leading cause of death.
According to the CDC, the number of deaths from the new crown has increased by 18.8%, from 350,800 in the first year of the epidemic to 416,900 in 2021.
There will be 107,000 drug overdose deaths in 2021, a 16% increase from 92,000 in 2020.
Overall, 3,464,200 Americans will die in 2021, an increase of 80,500 over 2020, the CDC reported.
The result lowered overall life expectancy in the U.S. from 77 years in 2020 to 76.4 years in 2021, the lowest level since 1996.
Among men, life expectancy fell from 74.2 years in 2020 to 73.5 years in 2021, while for women it fell from 79.9 years in 2020 to 79.3 years in 2021.
Although the number of deaths from the new crown has declined due to vaccination and the ability to prevent severe diseases from previous infections, the new crown is expected to become a significant cause of death again in 2022.
Preliminary statistics made by the CDC this year based on death certificates show that the number of deaths from the new crown as the underlying cause and death-promoting factor exceeded 233,000 by mid-December.
Heart disease remains the number one cause of death in the United States, followed by cancer.