Excess Deaths Show COVID-19 Deaths May Be Undercounted, CDC Says

The total number of deaths from COVID-19 reached 216,025 by Oct. 15, but the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say the pandemic’s impact on mortality may be greater than thought.

Overall, an estimated 299,028 excess deaths occurred from late January through Oct. 3, 2020, with 198,081 (66%) excess deaths attributed to COVID-19, according to the latest Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

The largest percentage increases were seen among adults aged 25–44 years and among Hispanic or Latino persons.

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An estimated 299,028 more persons than expected have died since Jan. 26, 2020, and approximately two-thirds of these deaths were attributed to COVID-19.

The report’s findings are limited in five ways, the first of which with respect to reporting lags in recent weeks.

Estimated numbers of deaths in the most recent weeks are likely underestimated and will increase as more data become available.

Read the full report online at CDC.gov.