US life expectancy hits highest level since COVID-19 pandemic

[KARAH RUCKER]

U-S LIFE EXPECTANCY JUMPED SIGNIFICANTLY, HITTING ITS HIGHEST LEVEL SINCE THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

THE NEW FINDINGS COME FROM A C-D-C REPORT THURSDAY REVEALING LIFE EXPECTANCY AMONG AMERICANS ROSE TO 78-POINT-FOUR YEARS LAST YEAR.

UP NEARLY AN ENTIRE YEAR FROM 77-POINT-FIVE IN 2022.

HEALTH OFFICIALS SAY A ONE-YEAR JUMP IN LIFE EXPECTANCY WAS PREVIOUSLY UNHEARD OF.

THEY ATTRIBUTE THE RISE IN LIFE EXPECTANCY LARGELY TO A DECLINE IN COVID-19 DEATHS, WHICH, FROM 20-19 TO 20-21, HAD CAUSED U-S LIFE EXPECTANCY TO DROP FROM 78-POINT-EIGHT YEARS TO 76-POINT-FOUR.

COVID-19 WENT FROM THE FOURTH LEADING CAUSING OF DEATH IN 2022 TO 10TH IN 2023.

COVID DEATHS FELL LAST YEAR, FROM 350-THOUSAND DEATHS IN 2020 TO 76 THOUSAND IN 2023.

THE BIGGEST DECREASE IS REPORTEDLY AMONG HISPANIC MEN AND WOMEN, WHO SAW A MORE THAN 10 AND A HALF PERCENT DECREASE IN COVID DEATHS.

THE C-D-C ALSO FOUND OVERDOSE DEATHS DECREASED LAST YEAR FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2018.

THE RATE OF OVERDOSE DEATHS DROPPING FROM NEARLY 33 PEOPLE IN EVERY 100-THOUSAND PEOPLE TO A LITTLE MORE THAN 31.

THE GROUP SEEING THE LARGEST DROP IN DRUG OVERDOSE DEATHS WAS 15 TO 24 YEAR OLDS, WHO SAW A DROP OF MORE THAN 10 PERCENT. 

THE TOP FIVE CAUSES OF DEATH LAST YEAR IN THE U-S WERE HEART DISEASE, CANCER, UNINTENTIONAL INJURIES, STROKE AND CHRONIC LOWER RESPIRATORY DISEASES. 

RATES FOR NINE OF THE 10 LEADING CAUSES OF DEATH FELL WHILE CANCER DEATHS REMAINED LARGELY THE SAME.

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FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS– I’M KARAH RUCKER.