Life expectancy in Louisiana is rising, rebounding from the deadliest early years of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to new federal data that shows the state still has far to go in catching up to the average lifespan for the rest of the U.S.

A child born in Louisiana is expected to live 73.8 years, according to a report released Friday from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that used data from 2022. That figure is up 1.6 years from the year earlier report, outpacing the national average increase of 1.1 years.

Despite the gain, Louisiana still ranks 48th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Only Kentucky, Mississippi, and West Virginia reported lower life expectancy, according to state life tables released by the National Center for Health Statistics on T

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