According to the current statistics from the National Center for Health Statistics, the number of fatalities in the United States last year declined to 3,078,290 from 3,269,042 in 2022. That number is very close to the pre-pandemic trendline.Prior to the pandemic, the number of people who died in the U.S. was very consistent. From 1960-2019, the U.S. fatality rate (fatalities/1,000 population) was about 8.75. The rate ranged from a high of 9.5 to a low of 7.9. From 1970-2010, there was a slight downtrend in the rate. However, beginning in 2011, the rate began a slow, but steady increase,…