[ti:U.S. Likely to Have More Deaths in 2021 than in 2020]
[al:As It Is]
[ar:VOA]
[dt:2021-12-29]
[by:www.voase.cn]
[00:00.00]The United States counted the most deaths ever in 2020.
[00:04.89]However, statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) predict the number of deaths in 2021 will be even larger than in 2020.
[00:20.25]Robert Anderson keeps track of deaths for the CDC.
[00:24.51]He said when the numbers from November and December come in early next year, the deaths will be higher by about 15,000.
[00:34.89]The CDC numbers include all deaths, including those from natural causes like old age, plus accidents like car crashes or drug overdoses.
[00:48.64]Anderson said the deaths from COVID-19 in 2020 reached about 351,000.
[00:57.91]This year, however, the new coronavirus could be responsible for about 370,000 deaths.
[01:06.43]COVID-19 is the nation's number three cause of death, behind heart disease and cancer.
[01:14.82]Experts also think the U.S. will set a record in 2021 for drug overdose deaths. 
[01:23.96]The number is expected to be more than 100,000 for the first time.
[01:29.82]Death statistics often increase from year to year. 
[01:34.41]For example, there was an increase of 16,000 from 2018 to 2019.
[01:43.32]However, the number of deaths in the last two years rose sharply because of COVID-19.
[01:53.15]Kenneth Johnson studies deaths at the University of New Hampshire.
[01:57.99]He said the U.S. had its smallest population gain in history between July 2020 and July 2021 because of the pandemic.
[02:09.92]When vaccines became widely available in the U.S. partway through 2021, officials hoped the number of deaths would slow.
[02:21.01]However, because many Americans are still not vaccinated, people are still dying.
[02:27.84]The CDC says only about 65 percent of the eligible U.S. population is vaccinated.
[02:35.25]Ali Mokdad studies deaths at the University of Washington. 
[02:41.83]He said the combination of new, easier-to-spread versions of COVID-19 plus the large number of unvaccinated people made the number of deaths higher than expected in 2021.
[02:57.72]I'm Dan Friedell.
