CDC warns drowning deaths are increasing for first time in decades, which they blame on Covid LOCKDOWNS – after tragic case in Louisiana

Drowning deaths are increasing for the first time in decades, in what officials are calling an “urgent” public health problem.

Figures released Tuesday by the CDC show that the number of accidental drownings rose nearly 30 percent between 2020 and 2022, the most recent data available.

The rates were also highest among racial and ethnic minorities, with deaths highest among American Indians and rising by more than a quarter among black Americans.

The CDC also revealed that more than half of Americans have never had a formal swimming lesson, and one in three black adults cannot swim.

The grim report serves as further evidence of pandemic lockdowns disadvantaging vulnerable groups such as Black and Hispanic Americans, as researchers blamed the closure of pools during Covid and a shortage of swimming instructors.

Gilbert, a medical student, had been underwater for at least 20 minutes, his mother told Fox8

The researchers noted that the findings come at a “critical” time just before summer, when more Americans will be heading to their local pool.

They were also released just days after a Louisiana medical student nearly drowned and was left fighting for his life after being pushed into a lake by his colleagues despite not being able to swim.

Dr. Debra Houry, chief medical officer at the CDC, told reporters at a news conference on Tuesday, “It can happen to anyone when water is present.”

‘Preventive measures such as basic swimming skills and water safety can reduce the risk of drowning. This type of training is critical.”

The data is part of the latest CDC Vital Signs report, which looked at the number of accidental drownings from all sources. These include swimming pools, bathtubs and open bodies of water such as lakes.

Houry noted that despite decades of declines, drownings increased 28 percent between 2020 and 2022.

In 2019, there were 4,067 accidental drowning deaths, and each year after that there were more than 4,500. The highest total to date was in 2021, with 4,677 deaths.

The CDC team noted that this is a ‘critical’ time to release the statistics on increased drowning rates as more Americans head to their public pools

American Indian and Alaska Natives had the highest rates of drowning, although Dr. Houry said there was no significant increase during the study period.

However, drowning deaths among black Americans, the second highest group, rose 28 percent.

In 2022, there were a total of 4,509 drowning deaths, and 780 of those were black people.

Additionally, one-third of Black Americans reported that they could not swim, and two-thirds said they had never had a formal swimming lesson.

Three in four Hispanic adults also said they had never had swimming lessons.

“It is concerning that there are rate increases in some of these groups, which were already unevenly affected,” Dr Houry said.

However, she noted that accidental drowning is most common among children aged one to four years, and is the number one cause of death among this age group.

Houry and Dr. Tessa Clemens, a health scientist with the CDC’s Division of Injury Prevention, said this increase from 2020 could be due to the closure of public pools during the pandemic, as well as a shortage of swimming instructors.

They also noted that swimming lessons can be expensive and pose a financial burden on minorities and people in rural areas.

Dr. Houry said the CDC is funding programs at the American Red Cross and YMCA to help reduce the cost of classes and make them more accessible “because it’s so important to have that equitable access.”

The researchers recommended that young children be exposed to water as early as possible and that swimming lessons should start between the ages of one and four. Even after these children have learned to swim, the team recommends that parents keep a close eye on them while they are in the water.

“These are lives, not numbers,” Dr. Houry said.