Increased COVID-19 fatalities in the United States, breaking daily death records
The United States has experienced some of the highest daily COVID-19 death tolls during major waves of the pandemic. The peak deaths were observed during the early 2021 surge and the winter 2021-2022 Omicron wave, with daily death counts reaching several thousand at peak times.
Early Pandemic (2020 to early 2021): The U.S. death toll steadily rose, becoming the highest globally by April 2020. Early surges stressed health systems and occurred before vaccines were available.
Fall 2021: By September 2021, the U.S. COVID-19 death count surpassed 675,000, comparable to the 1918 Spanish flu death toll. Low vaccination uptake and the emergence of variants contributed to this grim milestone.
Winter 2021-2022 (Omicron wave): Daily cases surpassed 1 million in January 2022, with notably high daily deaths following. Fatality rates were 63% higher in the U.S. than in other wealthy countries, largely due to lower vaccination and booster coverage, as well as variant characteristics.
Vulnerable populations: The elderly (age > 65) comprised approximately 81% of U.S. COVID-19 deaths, with mortality risk increasing sharply with age. Additionally, racial and ethnic disparities were observed, with Black and Latino populations facing higher infection and death rates due to socioeconomic factors, occupation exposure, and underlying health conditions.
Recent trends (2025): Although the daily death numbers have decreased dramatically compared to peak waves, the U.S. continues to report COVID-19 deaths, primarily among older adults and vulnerable groups.
In summary, the highest daily deaths aligned with variants that caused large case surges (e.g., Delta and Omicron), compounded by vaccination gaps and healthcare capacity challenges. Current COVID-19 mortality is much lower but remains a significant cause of death, especially in the elderly population.
Data on COVID-19 cases, deaths, and recoveries in the U.S. is provided by the Johns Hopkins University, while the Covid Tracking Project provides data on the number of COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. The global number of COVID-19 cases has exceeded 67 million, and over 5.89 million people in the U.S. have recovered from COVID-19. Currently, over 106,000 patients are hospitalized in the U.S. due to COVID-19.
- The high number of daily deaths during the pandemic in the United States, particularly during major waves such as the early 2021 surge and the winter 2021-2022 Omicron wave, can be attributed to the emergence of new medical-conditions like variants, low vaccination uptake, and healthcare capacity challenges.
- The U.S. political landscape and general-news coverage have played a critical role in shaping public opinion about health-and-wellness initiatives, including COVID-19 vaccinations, with low uptake during certain periods contributing to the high death toll.
- In recent trends (2025), despite a dramatic decrease in daily deaths compared to peak waves, science continues to be essential in understanding the evolving nature of the COVID-19 virus, its impact on vulnerable populations such as the elderly, and optimal strategies for health-and-wellness interventions to minimize the remaining death toll.
