As the new coronavirus spreads and worldwide deaths linked to it top 3,400, glob...
LONDON - As the new coronavirus spreads and worldwide deaths linked to it top 3,400, global alarm is growing and has caused everything from consumer runs on face masks to mass school closures.
Yet while few would deny the outbreak’s official status as an international health emergency, in the ranking of top causes of death it pales into insignificance compared to heart disease, cancer, road accidents, suicide or homicide.The top killers are cardiovascular diseases , everything from hypertension to strokes. They were to blame for 17.8 million deaths in 2017, roughly a third of the 56 million total deaths recorded that year.
Dementia, digestive disease and diabetes all take heavy tolls. And despite recent progress, HIV/AIDS claimed some 942,000 lives in 2017 and malaria 620,000. Seasonal influenza epidemics kill between 290,000 and 650,000 people a year, the World Health Organization says.Viewed by risk factor, high blood pressure was linked to 10.4 million deaths in 2017; smoking to 7.1 million; high blood sugar to 6.53 million; air pollution to 4.9 million; and obesity to 4.7 million.
Suicide is another big cause. Close to 800,000 people die due to suicide every year, or one person every 40 seconds, the WHO estimates. It cites evidence that for each adult who died by suicide, more than 20 others may have attempted it.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Factbox: Latest on the spread of coronavirus around the worldThe fast-spreading coronavirus has reached some 80 nations with more new cases n...
Read more »
Factbox: Latest on the spread of coronavirus around the worldThe fast-spreading coronavirus has reached some 80 nations with more new cases n...
Read more »
Kim Jong Un hopes South Korea will overcome outbreakNorth Korean leader Kim Jong Un has expressed hope that neighboring South Korea will overcome its coronavirus outbreak, South Korea's President Moon Jae-in's office said Thursday.
Read more »
Americans Fear Fleecing by Coronavirus Facemask Fraudsters, BBB InvestigatingPeople desperate to fend off coronavirus are turning to online companies hawking face masks -- but some customers say they've been duped in what feels like a coronavirus con.
Read more »
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)The global novel coronavirus situation is rapidly evolving. CDCtravel has issued travel health notices for countries currently experiencing community spread of COVID19. For updated information on coronavirus disease 2019 and travel, visit
Read more »
These cleaners kill coronavirus: Lysol, Clorox, Purell products make EPA's disinfectants listKilling coronavirus: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has released a list of disinfectants and wipes to protect against spread of the coronavirus.
Read more »