More than half of Harris Co.'s COVID-19 deaths in 2020 were in Hispanic community, study shows

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- The report released by Harris County Public Health examined the leading causes of death in the county over a 5 year span from 2016 to 2020.

For the first time, Covid-19 appeared in the data. The virus was found to be the third highest cause of death in Harris County in 2020. Although it did not occur until March 2020, COVID-19 was the ninth leading cause of death when looking at data from the five-year period.

The total number of deaths recorded in Harris County in 2020 (32,741) was up significantly due to COVID-19 related deaths. A total 3,626 deaths were recorded in 2020 from the virus. This is a trend that has been seen in other areas of the country and the world. COVID-19 was the leading cause of death in Hispanic residents, accounting for 22.4 percent of total deaths for the population in 2020. More than half of Harris County's 2020 COVID deaths were Hispanic.

The overall age-adjusted mortality rate increased in Harris County by 21.9 percent in 2020, after being stable or taking a downward trend between 2016 and 2019. The average life expectancy for a Harris County resident in 2021 is 79.9 years. Life expectancy across the nation, including Texas, is expected to decrease by 1.5 years from 2019 to 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

To find out what the leading cause of death is in your area, use this interactive map by entering your zip code.