
Share On Social!
The coronavirus, COVID-19, can affect anyone.
But reports show Latinos and other people of color are disproportionately affected, amid worsening historical inequities.
What are the data really showing?
UPDATE 4/27/23: New U.S., state, and city data!
COVID-19 Case Rates for Latinos
The U.S. population recently rose to 18.9% Latino.
Coronavirus is disproportionately sickening Latinos. Variants like Delta and Omicron sparked case surges, too.
Latinos currently comprise 24.3% of COVID-19 cases in the United States, second only to Whites (53.8%), according to CDC data on health equity and cases on April 19, 2023. Race/ethnicity data is available for 66% of the nation’s cases.
COVID-19-associated hospitalizations also have been higher among Latinos.
Several states are also experiencing Latino coronavirus case disparities:
- Utah is 14% Latino. But they make up 17.6% of COVID-19 cases on April 16, 2023.
- California is 39.3% Latino. But they make up 44.4% of COVID-19 cases on April 4, 2023.
- Texas is 39.7% Latinos. But they represent 26.5% of COVID-19 confirmed cases, compared to 23.5% of whites (over 35% of cases are unknown), according to state data as of Nov. 30, 2022.
“This is robbing the Hispanic community of a generation of mothers and fathers and brothers and sisters,” Dr. Peter Hotez of Baylor College of Medicine told TPR. Hotez and María Elena Bottazzi created the Corbevax vaccine for COVID-19.
Disparities are happening in vaccine uptake, too.
COVID-19 Death Rates for Latinos
15.1% of U.S. COVID-19 deaths are among Latinos, according to a new CDC data web page, “Health Disparities: Race and Hispanic Origin.” That page was updated April 26, 2023.
However, the Latino COVID-19 death rate became a more out-sized 33.1% when CDC used weighted population distributions. This is higher than the 26.7% mark from data at the end of May 2020.
“The weighted population distributions ensure that the population estimates and percentages of COVID-19 deaths represent comparable geographic areas,” CDC wrote. “[This provides] information about whether certain racial and ethnic subgroups are experiencing a disproportionate burden of COVID-19 mortality.”
CDC also warns this data may be incomplete. It doesn’t include all deaths that occurred during a given time period, given a one-to-two-week lag.
COVID-19 Death Rates for Latinos by Age
CDC is also tracking coronavirus death rates by race/ethnicity and age.
As of April 26, 2023:
Total deaths by race/ethnicity
- Latinos: 170,615 have died due to COVID-19
- Blacks: 155,404
- Whites: 744,764
- Asians: 35,242
- American Indian/Alaska Native: 11,981
- Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 2,291
Ages 0-24
- Latinos: 29% distribution of COVID-19 deaths
- Blacks: 24.7%
- Whites: 37.8%
- Asians: 3.3%
- American Indian/Alaska Native: 2.1%
- Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0.7%
Ages 25-34
- Latinos: 30.7% distribution of COVID-19 deaths
- Blacks: 23.9%
- Whites: 36.8%
- Asians: 3.3%
- American Indian/Alaska Native: 3.2%
- Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0.8%
Ages 35-44
- Latinos: 32.2% distribution of COVID-19 deaths
- Blacks: 21.8%
- Whites: 38.7%
- Asians: 2.9%
- American Indian/Alaska Native: 2.6%
- Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0.7%
Ages 45-54
- Latinos: 28.2% distribution of COVID-19 deaths
- Blacks: 19.8%
- Whites: 45.7%
- Asians: 2.8%
- American Indian/Alaska Native: 2%
- Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0.5%
Ages 54-64
- Latinos: 21.3% distribution of COVID-19 deaths
- Blacks: 18.7%
- Whites: 54.3%
- Asians: 2.8%
- American Indian/Alaska Native: 1.6%
- Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0.3%
Ages 65-74
- Latinos: 15.9% distribution of COVID-19 deaths
- Blacks: 16.1%
- Whites: 62.6%
- Asians: 3.2%
- American Indian/Alaska Native: 1.2%
- Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0.2%
Ages 75-84
- Latinos: 11.9% distribution of COVID-19 deaths
- Blacks: 11.7%
- Whites: 71.7%
- Asians: 3.1%
- American Indian/Alaska Native: 0.8%
- Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0.1%
Ages 85+
- Latinos: 8.8% distribution of COVID-19 deaths
- Blacks: 8.5%
- Whites: 78.4%
- Asians: 3.4%
- American Indian/Alaska Native: 0.4%
- Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0.1%
COVID-19 Death Rates for Latinos by State
CDC also has data on racial/ethnic state distribution of COVID-19 deaths.
Again, CDC included unweighted and weighted population distributions to add context for geographical outbreaks. The data was updated April 26, 2023.
Alabama (4.4% of total state population is Latino)
- 1.8% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths.
- 4.2% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths, when weighted for geographic outbreak areas.
Alaska (7.3% of total state population is Latino)
- 3.4% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths.
- 8.9% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths, when weighted for geographic outbreak areas.
Arizona (31.6% of total state population is Latino)
- 27.4% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths.
- 31.8% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths, when weighted for geographic outbreak areas.
Arkansas (7.7% of total state population is Latino)
- 3.3% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths.
- 9.4% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths, when weighted for geographic outbreak areas.
California (39.3% of total state population is Latino)
- 41.8% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths.
- 46% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths, when weighted for geographic outbreak areas.
Colorado (21.7% of total state population is Latino)
- 22.9% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths.
- 22.9% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths, when weighted for geographic outbreak areas.
Connecticut (16.5% of total state population is Latino)
- 10.4% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths.
- 19.4% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths, when weighted for geographic outbreak areas.
Delaware (9.5% of total state population is Latino)
- 3.9% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths.
- 10.2% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths, when weighted for geographic outbreak areas.
D.C. (11.3% of total state population is Latino)
- 10.9% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths.
- 11.4% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths, when weighted for geographic outbreak areas.
Florida (26.1% of total state population is Latino)
- 21.5% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths.
- 38.9% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths, when weighted for geographic outbreak areas.
Georgia (9.8% of total state population is Latino)
- 4.6% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths.
- 11% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths, when weighted for geographic outbreak areas.
Hawaii (10.7% of total state population is Latino)
- 7.4% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths.
- 10.3% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths, when weighted for geographic outbreak areas.
Idaho (12.8% of total state population is Latino)
- 7.8% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths.
- 11% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths, when weighted for geographic outbreak areas.
Illinois (17.4% of total state population is Latino)
- 13% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths.
- 24.9% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths, when weighted for geographic outbreak areas.
Indiana (7.1% of total state population is Latino)
- 3.6% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths.
- 10.8% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths, when weighted for geographic outbreak areas.
Iowa (6.2% of total state population is Latino)
- 2.8% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths.
- 7.7% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths, when weighted for geographic outbreak areas.
Kansas (12.1% of total state population is Latino)
- 7.5% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths.
- 13.1% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths, when weighted for geographic outbreak areas.
Kentucky (3.8% of total state population is Latino)
- 1.2% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths.
- 5.8% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths, when weighted for geographic outbreak areas.
Louisiana (5.2% of total state population is Latino)
- 2.7% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths.
- 6.6% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths, when weighted for geographic outbreak areas.
Maine (1.7% of total state population is Latino)
- 0.4% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths.
- 2.0% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths, when weighted for geographic outbreak areas.
Maryland (10.4% of total state population is Latino)
- 6.6% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths.
- 13.1% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths, when weighted for geographic outbreak areas.
Massachusetts (12.3% of total state population is Latino)
- 7.5% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths.
- 13.2% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths, when weighted for geographic outbreak areas.
Michigan (5.2% of total state population is Latino)
- 3.5% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths.
- 5.7% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths, when weighted for geographic outbreak areas.
Minnesota (5.5% of total state population is Latino)
- 2.6% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths.
- 6.7% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths, when weighted for geographic outbreak areas.
Mississippi (3.4% of total state population is Latino)
- 1.1% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths.
- 3.3% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths, when weighted for geographic outbreak areas.
Missouri (4.3% of total state population is Latino)
- 2.2% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths.
- 4.8% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths, when weighted for geographic outbreak areas.
Montana (4.1% of total state population is Latino)
- 2.5% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths.
- 5% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths, when weighted for geographic outbreak areas.
Nebraska (11.2% of total state population is Latino)
- 5.8% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths.
- 12.3% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths, when weighted for geographic outbreak areas.
Nevada (29% of total state population is Latino)
- 20.2% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths.
- 31.6% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths, when weighted for geographic outbreak areas.
New Hampshire (3.9% of total state population is Latino)
- 2.1% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths.
- 5.8% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths, when weighted for geographic outbreak areas.
New Jersey (20.6% of total state population is Latino)
- 17.7% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths.
- 22.1% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths, when weighted for geographic outbreak areas.
New Mexico (49.1% of total state population is Latino)
- 42.1% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths.
- 50.4% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths, when weighted for geographic outbreak areas.
New York (19.3% of total state population is Latino)
- 9.2% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths.
- 16.7% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths, when weighted for geographic outbreak areas.
North Carolina (9.6% of total state population is Latino)
- 4.1% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths.
- 11.2% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths, when weighted for geographic outbreak areas.
North Dakota (4.1% of total state population is Latino)
- 2.1% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths.
- 3.4% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths, when weighted for geographic outbreak areas.
Ohio (3.9% of total state population is Latino)
- 1.7% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths.
- 5.3% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths, when weighted for geographic outbreak areas.
Oklahoma (10.9% of total state population is Latino)
- 5.6% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths.
- 15.7% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths, when weighted for geographic outbreak areas.
Oregon (13.3% of total state population is Latino)
- 7.3% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths.
- 13.7% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths, when weighted for geographic outbreak areas.
Pennsylvania (7.6% of total state population is Latino)
- 3.6% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths.
- 9.4% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths, when weighted for geographic outbreak areas.
Rhode Island (15.9% of total state population is Latino)
- 7.7% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths.
- 23.2% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths, when weighted for geographic outbreak areas.
South Carolina (5.8% of total state population is Latino)
- 2.4% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths.
- 6.8% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths, when weighted for geographic outbreak areas.
South Dakota (4.2% of total state population is Latino)
- 1.6% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths.
- 5.3% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths, when weighted for geographic outbreak areas.
Tennessee (5.6% of total state population is Latino)
- 2.3% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths.
- 7.2% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths, when weighted for geographic outbreak areas.
Texas (39.6% of total state population is Latino)
- 39.5% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths.
- 44.6% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths, when weighted for geographic outbreak areas.
Utah (14.2% of total state population is Latino)
- 12.5% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths.
- 17.1% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths, when weighted for geographic outbreak areas.
Vermont (2% of total state population is Latino)
- 0% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths.
- 2.4% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths, when weighted for geographic outbreak areas.
Virginia (9.6% of total state population is Latino)
- 4.9% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths.
- 12.3% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths, when weighted for geographic outbreak areas.
Washington (12.9% of total state population is Latino)
- 8.5% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths.
- 11.1% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths, when weighted for geographic outbreak areas.
West Virginia (1.7% of total state population is Latino)
- 0.5% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths.
- 1.8% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths, when weighted for geographic outbreak areas.
Wisconsin (6.9% of total state population is Latino)
- 4.2% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths.
- 11.4% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths, when weighted for geographic outbreak areas.
Wyoming (10.1% of total state population is Latino)
- 8.2% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths.
- 11.3% Latino distribution of COVID-19 deaths, when weighted for geographic outbreak areas.
That means 40 of 50 reporting states and D.C. have an over-representation of Latino deaths, according to the weighted CDC data.
COVID-19 Case and Death Data in 5 U.S. Cities with Largest Latino Populations
Here is a look at COVID-19 rates by race/ethnicity in the most Latino cities.
1. New York City
29.1% of the total population is Latino.
Latinos have the largest number of cases per 100,000 people due to COVID-19.
COVID-19 Cumulative Case Rate per 100,000 People
- Hispanics/Latinos: 36,221 per 100,000
- Asians: 30,964
- Whites: 30,382
- Blacks: 28,364
COVID-19 Cumulative Hospitalization Rate per 100,000 People
- Blacks: 2,737
- Hispanics/Latinos: 2,653
- Whites: 1,555
- Asians: 1,366
Source: NYC Health, accessed 4/27/23 via the “Totals” tab.
2. Los Angeles County (Home of Los Angeles)
48.6% of the total population is Latino.
Latinos currently comprise about half of the county’s over 3 million cases by race/ethnicity:
- Hispanics/Latinos: 1,510,311
- Blacks: 185,246
- Whites: 489,775
- Asians: 262,618
- American Indian/Alaska Native: 6,702
- Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 17,666
- Other: 404,445
- Under investigation: 652,928
Source: County of Los Angeles Public Health, last available 4/27/23.
3. City of Houston
44.8% of the total population is Latino.
Latinos and Blacks comprise a large percentage of COVID-19 cases.
% of Weekly Total COVID-19 Cases by Race/Ethnicity
- Hispanics/Latinos: 5.6%
- Blacks: 32.1%
- Whites: 41.9%
- Asians: 6.7%
- Other: 11.7%
Source: Harris County data, accessed 4/27/23.
4. Bexar County (Home of San Antonio)
60% of the total population is Latino.
70% of COVID-19 cases are Latino.
“Among cases for whom race/ethnicity data are available, Hispanic individuals continue to make up the majority of total COVID-19 cases. Although Hispanics make up 60% of the Bexar County population, they represent 70% of cases with known race/ethnicity,” according to the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District’s latest monthly epidemiological report.
Source: San Antonio Metropolitan Health District Monthly Epidemiological Report, last available 3/4/22. As of 1/20/23, the district is no longer reporting epidemiological reports and school case numbers.
5. City of Chicago
29% of the total population is Latino.
The largest percentage of COVID-19 cases in Chicago are among Latinos.
COVID-19 Cases by %
- Hispanics/Latinos: 27.6%
- Blacks: 23.1%
- Whites: 25.6%
- Asians: 4.5%
- Other: 5.3%
- Unknown: 14%
Source: Chicago.gov, accessed 4/27/23.
Latino ‘Excess Deaths’ Far Exceed Initial Estimates during COVID-19 Pandemic
Annually, CDC researchers compile and analyze data to predict the number of deaths that will occur in the coming year.
The number of mortalities that go over this initial estimate, or “the difference between the observed numbers of deaths in specific time periods and expected numbers of deaths in the same time periods,” are known as excess deaths.
Looking at deaths in 2020 compared with predicted deaths, researchers found that U.S. Latinos suffered double the excess deaths per 100,000 people than their white peers.
With COVID-19 as a cause, excess deaths per 100,000 persons from March to December 2020 among Blacks and Latinos were more than double those among whites
“There were profound racial/ethnic disparities in excess deaths in the United States in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in rapid increases in racial/ethnic disparities in all-cause mortality between 2019 and 2020,” according to an October 2021 study published in Annals of Internal Medicine.
What Does All This Coronavirus Case and Death Data Really Mean?
It means Latino face a heavy burden of coronavirus.
Latinos are highly exposed to the virus as essential workers.
Also, this population suffers from inequities in income, health care access, access to food, and more. Poverty rates also play a large role, as do fears of impact on daily life.
Latino undocumented immigrants often don’t benefit from unemployment aid or stimulus checks, either.
But we can overcome our biases.
We also need policies to address social support for Latinos in poverty, such as these 10 strategies.
“Capable and healthy adults are the foundation of any well-functioning society,” said Greg Duncan of University of California, Irvine, in a news release. “But because millions of American children are in families living below the poverty line, this future is not as secure as it could be.”
Latinos Getting Vaccinated for COVID-19, But Disparities Persist in Many States
As the Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and other COVID-19 vaccines continue to be distributed across the country and other vaccines emerge, several states are beginning to report the demographic makeup of their vaccine distribution numbers.
Initially, Latinos made up a very low percentage of those getting a vaccine, despite being disproportionately hurt by COVID-19.
However, in between July and September 2021, the data shows that more and more Latinos are getting vaccinated, even surpassed the number for Black and white people, according to data from the Kaiser Family Foundation.
Still, there are disparities by state.
Many states show that Latinos make up a smaller portion of those getting vaccinated compared to their population proportion in the state.
See the full vaccine uptake data.
Lack of access and vaccine hesitancy, amid historic systemic discrimination and bias, might be part of the reason. Learn five important ways to build trust and address vaccine hesitancy.
You can build vaccine confidence in your area, too.
Help our Salud America! team share the stories of real Latinos who overcame misinformation, got the vaccine, reconnected with family, and are helping end the pandemic!
SHARE VACCINE CONFIDENCE STORIES
What Can You Do?
Check out how coronavirus is impacting Latinos. Here are 19 ways to push for health equity amid coronavirus.
You can also get a “Health Equity Report Card” for your area!
Select your county name and get a customized Health Equity Report Card by Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio. You will see how your area stacks up in housing, transit, poverty, health care, healthy food, and other health equity issues compared to the rest of your state and nation.
Also, take a personal step to ensure the safety of our communities.
See and share our Salud America! “Juntos, We Can Stop COVID-19” digital communication campaign in English or Spanish to help Latino families and workers take action to slow the spread of coronavirus, including getting the vaccine (when available).
The #JuntosStopCovid campaign features culturally relevant fact sheets, infographics, and video role model stories to encourage Latinos to change their public health behaviors.
By The Numbers
142
Percent
Expected rise in Latino cancer cases in coming years