LOS ANGELES, April 22 (Xinhua) -- 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 Friday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

       The report showed that the overall age-adjusted death rate increased by almost 1 percent 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.

       The report provides an overview of provisional U.S. 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, said the agency.