The nation's seven-day average for new COVID-19 cases is falling, but deaths continue to rise and now are eclipsing levels seen during the delta wave, data from the CDC and Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins University show.
According to a Jan. 25 report from The Wall Street Journal, current COVID-19 death averages hit their highest levels since early 2021. The seven-day average for newly daily virus deaths reached 2,188 on Jan. 24, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
Current COVID-19 deaths mirror or surpass levels seen during the delta surge, when deaths peaked just above 2,100 in late September, according to the Journal. This average still falls below levels seen in mid-January 2021, before vaccines were widely accessible.
In total, COVID-19 has killed more than 870,900 Americans as of Jan. 25, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.