As the death count from COVID-19 continues to increase, and is now just over 187,000, it has now become the third leading cause of death in the U.S.
The CDC chart for leading causes of death in the year 2017, the most recent year posted on its web site:
- Heart disease: 647,457
- Cancer: 599,108
- Accidents (unintentional injuries): 169,936
- Chronic lower respiratory diseases: 160,201
- Stroke (cerebrovascular diseases): 146,383
- Alzheimer’s disease: 121,404
- Diabetes: 83,564
- Influenza and pneumonia: 55,672
- Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome, and nephrosis: 50,633
- Intentional self-harm (suicide): 47,173
Many of those who die have underlying conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes, and lung disease, among other things. These underlying health conditions make it more difficult for people, especially older people, to fight off the novel coronavirus which causes COVID-19, whereas they might have had many more years of life if not for the coronavirus.
The State of Hawaii has had 79 deaths as of Thursday, with 5 on Hawaii Island. Although the death toll from this disease is low compared to other states, each one of these “numbers” is a person with family and friends. Hawaii County is reinforcing its efforts to have people wear masks and social distance.