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By Melissa Fleur Afshar
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COVID-19 is still killing more than 100,000 Americans a year, new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study shows—underscoring how the virus remains a major health threat even if the height of the pandemic has long subsided.
In a study published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine, CDC researchers estimated that there were 43.6 million COVID-19–associated illnesses and 101,300 resulting deaths in the U.S. in the period from October 2022 to September 2023, and 33.0 million illnesses and 100,800 deaths subsequently between October 2023 to September 2024.
The analysis shows that COVID-19 continues to add pressure to outpatient clinics and hospitals, particularly during cold winter flu seasons. The researchers also highlight how older people are more at risk of getting seriously ill from the virus, accounting for most hospitalizations and deaths.
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The study used statistical modeling to fill gaps left by reduced case reporting and testing, after the world began to turn its attention away from the virus in 2023. While systems now rely more on death rates, the estimates provide a national picture of ongoing illness, medical visits, hospitalizations and deaths, guiding resource allocation and public health policy.
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Between 2023–2024, people aged 65 and over accounted for more than 17.7 percent of the U.S. population but accounted for 47.9 percent of COVID-19 illnesses, 64.3 percent of outpatient visits, 67.6 percent of hospitalizations and 81.2 percent of deaths. The burden on this age group highlights the need for continued prevention in higher-risk populations.
In 2022–2023, COVID-19 led to an estimated 10.0 million outpatient visits and 1.1 million hospitalizations. In 2023–2024, the virus was associated with 7.7 million outpatient visits and 879,100 hospitalizations. Even with a lower number of estimated illnesses in the second period, deaths remained above 100,000, indicating a persistent severity among those infected.
Researchers note that tracking the disease has become harder. Case reporting to the CDC stopped when COVID-19 was no longer classified as a public health emergency. Since then, mortality figures have largely depended on death certificates noting the virus as either a primary or contributing factor—a method that can overlook many cases.
Looser reporting rules, the emergence of new variants and fewer people taking tests have made it harder to gauge the true impact of COVID-19. Furthermore, many symptomatic people—especially younger people with more robust immune systems—skip medical care or testing, leaving gaps in our data.
To produce national estimates, researchers relied on the COVID-19 Hospitalization Surveillance Network (COVID-NET), which tracks data from 89 counties across 12 states, representing roughly 10 percent of the U.S. population. The analysis included 94,363 participants for 2022–2023 and 72,176 for 2023–2024.
Using advanced statistical techniques the team were able to extrapolate figures for illnesses, outpatient visits, hospitalizations and deaths to the national population.
With the virus still circulating and adding strain to U.S. healthcare facilities , especially during winter respiratory virus seasons, continued monitoring, vaccination and targeted protections for older adults remain critical to reducing preventable illness.
Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about COVID-19? Let us know via science@newsweek.com.
Reference
Koumans, E. H. A., Khan, D., Trejo, I., Deng, L., Devine, O., Smith-Jeffcoat, S. E., Hamid, S., Patton, M. E., Carter, E., Aggarwal, M., Pham, H., Patel, K., Whitaker, M., Wiegand, R. E., Gregory, C. O., Ortega-Sanchez, I. R., Derado, G., Iuliano, A. D., Reed, C., … Estimate of Burden of COVID-19 Workgroup. (2026). Estimated Burden of COVID-19 Illnesses, Medical Visits, Hospitalizations, and Deaths in the US From October 2022 to September 2024. JAMA Internal Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2025.7179
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