Life expectancy in the U.S. dropped for the second consecutive year in 2021, according to data published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Thursday, as Covid-19 remained one of the top causes of death in the U.S. last year.
Data released by the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) showed life expectancy at birth fell to 76.4 years in 2021, from 77 years in 2020.
Both men and women saw a nearly identical drop in life expectancy—0.7 years among men and 0.6 years among women—with the number falling to 73.5 years and 79.3 years respectively.
Life expectancy numbers in the U.S. are now the lowest they have been since 1996.
Nine of the top ten causes of deaths in 2021 remained the same as the previous year with heart disease, cancer and Covid-19 retaining the top three spots.
The death rate from Covid-19 grew in 2021 to 104.1 per 100,000 people from 85 in 2020 likely due to the impact of the faster spreading and more virulent Delta variant of the coronavirus.
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