COVID-19, Not Influenza, Leads Increased Mortalities

Based on mortality surveillance data available on November 19, 2020, the U.S. CDC reported 10.7% of the fatalities occurring during the week ending November 14, 2020 (week #46), were due to pneumonia, influenza, and COVID-19 (PIC).

Among the 2,187 PIC deaths reported for week #46, 1,260 had COVID-19 listed as an underlying or contributing cause of death on the death certificate and just 2 listed influenza, indicating that the current increase in PIC mortality is due primarily to COVID-19, and not influenza, says the CDC.