Deaths by Week and State
I am displaying the monthy year-to-date data. November now shows as 4% more deaths than expected which is 9,754 more people died than expected. December's full data is still pending.
Provisional Death Counts for COVID-19
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Note: Provisional death counts are based on death certificate data received and coded by the National Center for Health Statistics as of December 28, 2023. Death counts are delayed and may differ from other published sources (see Technical Notes). Counts will be updated Thursdays by 5pm.
The provisional counts for COVID-19 deaths are based on a current flow of mortality data in the National Vital Statistics System. National provisional counts include deaths occurring within the 50 states and the District of Columbia that have been received and coded as of the date specified. It is important to note that it can take several weeks for death records to be submitted to National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), processed, coded, and tabulated. Therefore, the data shown on this page may be incomplete, and will likely not include all deaths that occurred during a given time period, especially for the more recent time periods. Death counts for earlier weeks are continually revised and may increase or decrease as new and updated death certificate data are received from the states by NCHS. COVID-19 death counts shown here may differ from other published sources, as data currently are lagged by an average of 1–2 weeks.
The provisional data presented on this page include the provisional counts of deaths in the United States due to COVID-19, deaths from all causes and percent of expected deaths (i.e., number of deaths received over number of deaths expected based on data from previous years), pneumonia deaths (excluding pneumonia deaths involving influenza), pneumonia deaths involving COVID-19, influenza deaths, and deaths involving pneumonia, influenza, or COVID-19; by week ending date, month, and year, and specific jurisdictions.
For the Index of Provisional COVID-19 Mortality Surveillance and Ad-hoc Data Files,
click here. Table 1 has counts of deaths involving COVID-19 and other select causes of death by time-period in which the death occurred. For data on deaths involving COVID-19 by time-period and jurisdiction,
Click here to download.
NOTE: Empty data cells represent death counts between 1-9 that have been suppressed in accordance with NCHS confidentiality standards. Number of deaths reported in this table are the total number of deaths received and coded as of the date of analysis and may not represent all deaths that occurred in that period. Counts of deaths occurring before or after the reporting period are not included in the table. Data during recent periods are incomplete because of the lag in time between when the death occurred and when the death certificate is completed, submitted to NCHS and processed for reporting purposes. This delay can range from 1 week to 8 weeks or more, depending on the jurisdiction and cause of death. The United States population, based on 2021 census estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau, is 331,893,745. United States death counts include the 50 states, plus the District of Columbia and New York City. New York state estimates exclude New York City.
[1] Deaths with confirmed or presumed COVID-19, coded to ICD–10 code U07.1.
[2] Percent of expected deaths is the number of deaths for all causes for these time-periods in 2020-2023 compared to the average number across the same time-period in 2017–2019. Previous analyses of 2015–2016 provisional data completeness have found that completeness is lower in the first few weeks following the date of death (<25%), and then increases over time such that data are generally at least 75% complete within 8 weeks of when the death occurred (
8). Recent improvements in the timeliness of provisional mortality data suggest that the data are at least 94% complete within 8 weeks of when the death occurred, see
Technical Notes.
[3] Counts of deaths involving pneumonia (J12.0-J18.9) include pneumonia deaths that also involve COVID-19 and exclude pneumonia deaths involving influenza.
[4] Counts of deaths involving influenza (J09-J11) include deaths with pneumonia or COVID-19 also listed as a cause of death.
[5] Deaths with confirmed or presumed COVID-19, pneumonia, or influenza, coded to ICD–10 codes U07.1 or J09–J18.9.
Understanding the Numbers: Provisional Death Counts and COVID-19
Provisional death counts deliver the most complete and accurate picture of lives lost to COVID-19. They are based on death certificates, which are the most reliable source of data and contain information not available anywhere else, including comorbid conditions, race and ethnicity, and place of death.
How it Works
The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) uses incoming data from death certificates to produce provisional COVID-19 death counts. These include deaths occurring within the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
NCHS also provides summaries that examine deaths in specific categories and in greater geographic detail, such as deaths by county and by race and Hispanic origin.
COVID-19 deaths are identified using a new ICD–10 code. When COVID-19 is reported as a cause of death – or when it is listed as a “probable” or “presumed” cause — the death is coded as
U07.1. This can include cases with or without laboratory confirmation.
Why These Numbers are Different
Provisional death counts may not match counts from other sources, such as media reports or numbers from county health departments. Counts by NCHS often track 1–2 weeks behind other data.
- Death certificates take time to be completed. There are many steps to filling out and submitting a death certificate. Waiting for test results can create additional delays.
- States report at different rates. Currently, 63% of all U.S. deaths are reported within 10 days of the date of death, but there is significant variation between states.
- Other reporting systems use different definitions or methods for counting deaths.
Things to know about the data
Provisional counts are not final and are subject to change. Counts from previous weeks are continually revised as more records are received and processed.
Provisional data are not yet complete. Counts will not include all deaths that occurred during a given time period, especially for more recent periods. However, we can estimate how complete our numbers are by looking at the average number of deaths reported in previous years.
Death counts should not be compared across states. Some states report deaths on a daily basis, while other states report deaths weekly or monthly. State vital record reporting may also be affected or delayed by COVID-19 related response activities.
For more detailed technical information, visit the
Provisional Death Counts for COVID-19 Technical Notes page.
Download PDF Version
Contents
- COVID-19 Mortality Overview
- ›Deaths by Week and State
- Deaths by Select Demographic and Geographic Characteristics
- Health Disparities
- Excess Deaths Associated with COVID-19
- Index of Available Data Files
- Technical Notes
Last Reviewed: December 28, 2023
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/COVID19/
