US poised for deadliest year ever as pandemic cuts life expectancy, experts say

• Life expectancy could drop by three years, says CDC expert
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• Coronavirus - live coverage

The US is on track to record its deadliest year in history, largely due to the pandemic, as public health experts say overall life expectancy for 2020 could drop by as much as three years.

Final mortality data for this year will not be available for months, but preliminary numbers suggest the country will see more than 3.2 million deaths this year. That would be the first time annual deaths have cracked 3 million and would make 2020 the deadliest year on record.