Los Angeles, Apr 23 (IANS): Covid-19 was the third leading cause of death in the United States in 2021, following heart disease and cancer, according to a report released by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The report released on Friday showed that the overall age-adjusted death rate increased by nearly 1 per cent in 2021 from 2020.

Overall death rates in the country were highest among non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaskan native and non-Hispanic Black or African-American people, according to the CDC.

For the second year, Covid-19 was the third leading cause of death after heart disease and cancer, Xinhua news agency reported.

The report provides an overview of provisional US mortality data for 2021, including a comparison of death rates for all causes of death and for deaths involving Covid-19, said the CDC in a release.

The results highlight the need for greater effort to implement effective interventions, the agency added.