Surpassing New York, California Records The Highest Number Of COVID-19 Deaths In America

COVID-19 illustration. (Prasesh Shiwakoti / Unsplash)

JAKARTA - California recorded the highest number of deaths due to COVID-19 in the United States, surpassing New York, after the report on Tuesday, February 9 evening local time, more than 45 thousand people died.

This figure is far above New York, the state's hardest hit in the early days of the pandemic, which currently has death cases of 44.693 people.

“This is a heartbreaking reminder that COVID-19 is a deadly virus. And we grieve with every Californian who has suffered, the tragic loss of the loved ones during this pandemic”, said California State Health Minister Dr. Mark Ghaly.

California, home to some 40 million people, emerged as the main US epicenter of the pandemic during a wave of infection and year-end hospitalizations that swept across much of the country, pushing many healthcare systems to their limits.

When you consider deaths per capita, California, with 113 deaths per 100.000 people ranks 32nd in the country in the COVID-19 death cases.

By comparison, New York, with 248 deaths per 100.000, ranks second only to New Jersey, which recorded about 230 deaths from coronavirus per 100.000 population.

The United States as a whole had reported 27.25 million infections and 468.559 deaths, as of Tuesday evening. More than 79.000 US patients were hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Tuesday, the lowest daily number since mid-November.

California Governor Gavin Newsom said in a press release, although the number of fatalities reported every day in the state has decreased in recent weeks. However, the figure is still high with an average of 500 deaths per day over the past 14 days.