COVID-19 4th-Leading Cause Of Death In Travis County

AUSTIN, TX — COVID-19 is now the 4th-leading cause of death in Travis County, health officials said Friday.

In 2018, cerebrovascular diseases (which includes strokes) caused 337 deaths in Travis County, and as of Aug. 20 there have been 346 COVID-19 deaths in Austin-Travis County. Accidents (512 deaths), heart disease (1,092 deaths) and cancer (1,229 deaths) comprised the top three leading causes of death in 2018, officials said.

“When we look at our death data, we see that COVID-19 is a leading cause of death locally, statewide, and nationally.” Austin Public Health Director Stephanie Hayden said in a prepared statement. “We have hit an unfortunate milestone in our community.”

Leading Causes of Death, Travis County, 2018

• Malignant neoplasms (cancer), 1,229 cases.
• Heart diseases, 1,092 cases.
• Accidents (unintentional injuries), 512 cases.
• Cerebrovascular diseases (strokes), 337 cases.
• Alzheimer disease, 227 cases.
• Chronic lower respiratory diseases, 263 cases.
• Intentional self-harm (suicide), 157 cases.
• Diabetes mellitus, 141 cases.
• Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis, 129.
• Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis, 100 cases.
• Parkinson disease, 99 cases.
• Septicemia (sepsis), 99 cases.
• Influenza and pneumonia, 91 cases.
• Pneumonitis due to solids and liquids (lung inflammation), 64 cases.
• Essential hypertension and hypertensive renal disease, 42 cases.

“We present these numbers to remind our community of the vast spread of misinformation around COVID-19,” Dr. Mark Escott, Austin-Travis County Interim Health Authority, said in a prepared statement. “If we do not take this virus seriously in our community, we have the real possibility that every family will know someone who was hospitalized or who has died from COVID-19.”

Based on historical trends, Austin Public Health officials said they can compare the approximate number of deaths in 2018 with 2020 for each cause of death listed. A final cause of death is determined once a death certificate is filed with the health district's Office of Vital Records, officials added.

Across the state of Texas in 2018, the top four leading causes of death were heart disease, cancer, stroke, and chronic lower respiratory diseases. Across the U.S. in 2017, the top four leading causes of death were heart disease, cancer, accidents, and chronic lower respiratory disease, health officials noted.

For COVID-19 updates and information, visit the city's COVID-19 information page.