Coronavirus deaths in the U.S. have surpassed 196,800, as of Thursday, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
The seven-day moving average of daily new deaths in the country rose on a sharp incline from late March to late April, peaking at 2,256 on April 21, according to data compiled by Worldometer.
From late April, average daily new deaths mostly declined through early July. From then, the average count mostly increased through early August, before dipping again through September, according to the data from Worldometer.
Below we look at the five states with the highest number of COVID-19 deaths to date. All case and death data is sourced from JHU, unless otherwise stated. All population data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau.
1. New York
- Total deaths: 33,042
- Total cases: 446,366
- Total population: 19,453,561 (as of July 2019)
The seven-day moving average of daily new deaths in New York increased on a sharp incline from late March to April 13, when it peaked at 956, before mostly declining and flattening out from late June, according to data compiled by Worldometer.
2. New Jersey
- Total deaths: 16,054
- Total cases: 197,792
- Total population: 8,882,190 (as of July 2019)
The seven-day moving average of daily new fatalities in New Jersey mostly increased from late March, just before briefly dipping and rising from late April through early May. From then, the seven-day average of daily new deaths mostly declined through late July, after which it mostly flattened out, according to Worldometer.
3. California
- Total deaths: 14,739
- Total cases: 772,188
- Total population: 39,512,223 (as of July 2019)
Average daily new deaths in California have been on an upward trend throughout the outbreak. The seven-day moving average of daily new deaths rose from late March before mostly flattening out through late July. From then, it increased until early August, after which it mostly declined, according to data from Worldometer.
4. Texas
- Total deaths: 14,738
- Total cases: 696,807
- Total population: 28,995,881 (as of July 2019)
The seven-day moving average of daily new deaths in Texas remained mostly flat from late March to early July. From then, the figure rose on a sharp incline through early August, peaking at 276 on August 4, before mostly declining through mid-September, according to Worldometer.
On July 27, the Texas Department of State Health Services announced it would be using death certificates, instead of data from local health departments, to determine COVID-19 deaths. This new method resulted in 600 fatalities being added to the state's overall death toll at the time.
5. Florida
- Total deaths: 12,939
- Total cases: 671,201
- Total population: 21,477,737 (as of July 2019)
The seven-day moving average of daily new fatalities in Florida rose for a few weeks from late March to mid-April, before mostly flattening out through late June. From then, the figure rose sharply through early August, before a brief dip and rise through mid-August, Worldometerreported.
Average daily new deaths declined through early September, before briefly climbing upwards through mid-September, according to Worldometer.
The wider picture
The novel coronavirus has infected over 29.9 million people across the globe, including more than 6.6 million in the U.S. Over 941,500 people have died globally, while more than 20.3 million have reportedly recovered from infection, according to the latest report Thursday by Johns Hopkins University.
The graphic below, provided by Statista, illustrates U.S. states with the most COVID-19 cases.
The below graphic, also provided by Statista, illustrates the spread of COVID-19 cases in counties across the globe.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Soo Kim is a Newsweek reporter based in London, U.K. She covers various lifestyle stories, specializing in travel and health.
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