SPRINGFIELD – The leading cause of death in Illinois in 2020 was heart disease, followed by cancer and then by COVID-19, the Illinois Department of Public Health reports.
Heart disease was the cause of 27,466 deaths in 2020, and cancer claimed the lives of 24,020 Illinoisans. COVID-19 took the lives of 15,715 others.
Altogether, 133,791 Illinoisans passed away in 2020 - and 11% were from COVID-19.