(Reuters) – Nearly 300,000 more people have died in the United States in 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic than historical trends would suggest, with about two-thirds of the deaths due to COVID-19 illnesses, according to a report released on Tuesday.
The report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that 299,028 more people died between Jan. 26 and Oct. 3 than the average numbers from past years would have indicated.
The CDC did not provide specific explanations for the excess deaths but said it expects the deaths to include those related directly or indirectly to COVID-19.
The CDC defines excess deaths as the difference between the observed numbers of deaths in specific time periods and expected numbers of deaths in the same time periods. The agency found excess deaths have occurred every week since March 2020.
The agency said the largest percentage increases in excess deaths were among adults aged 25-44 years and among Hispanic or Latino persons and African Americans.
About 220,000 people have died due to COVID-19, according to the most recent Reuters tally.
(Reporting by Vishwadha Chander in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel)
