COVID-19 Still Causes Major Illness and Deaths Study Finds

A new CDC-led study published in JAMA Internal Medicine estimates that COVID-19 continued to cause a substantial health burden in the United States from October 2022 through September 2024, even after the end of the public health emergency.

Researchers estimate that COVID-19 led to approximately 43.6 million illnesses and 101,300 deaths in 2022–2023, and 33.0 million illnesses and 100,800 deaths in 2023–2024.

Although overall illness, outpatient visits, and hospitalizations declined between the two periods, deaths remained high. Adults aged 65 and older, who make up less than one-fifth of the U.S. population, accounted for about two-thirds of hospitalizations and more than 80% of deaths in both years. The study also found that children, including infants, continued to experience hospitalizations and deaths, underscoring that COVID-19 affects all age groups.

For people living with autoimmune disease and other immune-mediated conditions, these findings reinforce that COVID-19 remains a meaningful health risk.

Immune dysregulation, immunosuppressive therapies, and age-related immune decline can all increase vulnerability to severe infection and complications. The authors emphasize that vaccination and early antiviral treatment continue to play an important role in reducing severe outcomes, particularly in higher-risk populations.

Citation

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., Hall, A. J., … Witt, L. S. (2026). Estimated Burden of COVID-19 Illnesses, Medical Visits, Hospitalizations, and Deaths in the US From October 2022 to September 2024. JAMA internal medicine, 10.1001/jamainternmed.2025.7179. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2025.7179