COVID-19 deaths fell 68.9% from 2022 to 2023 — dropping from the fourth leading cause of death to the tenth, the CDC said.
The CDC used U.S. death certificates to estimate the highest causes of death. The report, released Aug. 8, shares the estimated number of deaths in 2023, and the final report is expected to be released later this year, NBC News reported.
COVID-19 was an underlying or contributing cause in more than 76,000 deaths, or 1.6% of total deaths in the U.S., in 2023. That's a drop from 5.7% of total deaths in 2022.
Despite the decline, the CDC said COVID-19 is still a threat for older adults and those with underlying conditions.