COVID-19, Not Influenza, is Causing Virus-Related Deaths

Based on the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) Mortality Surveillance data available on December 17, 2020, the U.S. CDC reported 13.3% of the deaths occurring during the week ending December 12, 2020 (week #50), were due to pneumonia, influenza, and COVID-19 (PIC).

Among the 2,897 PIC deaths reported for week #50 by the NCHS, the current increase in PIC mortality is due primarily to COVID-19 and not influenza.