Experts continue to project coronavirus-related deaths into January 2022

Dr. Joseph Varon hugs and comforts a patient in the COVID-19 intensive care unit (ICU) during Thanksgiving at the United Memorial Medical Center on November 26, 2020 in Houston, Texas. According to reports, Texas has reached over 1,220,000 cases, including over 21,500 deaths. (Go Nakamura, 2020 Getty Images)

As the first impacts of coronavirus began in the U.S. over a year ago, many states have drawn back social distancing measures to reopen their economies and return to normalcy.

Since loosening restrictions after the pandemic forced stay-at-home orders across the country, the U.S. has experienced an increase in positive cases and hospitalizations.

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Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) projected the U.S. saw its peak in daily coronavirus-related deaths on April 15, 2020. On that day, the number was 32,146.

Now, experts project the country will reach 1,229,517 virus-related deaths by January 1, 2022.

IHME previously projected the nation will suffer a total of 317,312 deaths related to COVID-19 by December 1, 2020, then made the following predictions as the situation worsened.

  • 389,087 by January 1, 2021
  • 399,163 by February 1, 2021
  • 470,974 by March 1, 2021
  • 567,195 by April 1, 2021
  • 594,623 by May 1, 2021
  • 574,062 by June 1, 2021
  • 609,172 by July 1, 2021
  • 598,882 by August 1, 2021
  • 941,948 by September 1, 2021
  • 960,226 by October 1, 2021
  • 1,063,068 by November 1, 2021
  • 1,170,232 by December 1, 2021

Projections are based on states’ easing scenarios, current masks mandates, vaccine distribution and new variant spread.

To fully account for the impact of COVID-19, IHME’s projection estimates for September and beyond include the total number of COVID-19 deaths.

Here are state-by-state projections for COVID-19 related deaths by January 1, 2022:

Alabama

COVID-19 deaths previously projected: 31,647

Current projection: 32,844

Alaska

COVID-19 deaths previously projected: 1,159

Current projection: 1,387

Arizona

COVID-19 deaths previously projected: 36,430

Current projection: 36,429

Arkansas

COVID-19 deaths previously projected: 15,754

Current projection: 15,575

California

COVID-19 deaths previously projected: 138,694

Current projection: 138,007

Colorado

COVID-19 deaths previously projected: 12,544

Current projection: 12,426

Connecticut

COVID-19 deaths previously projected: 9,811

Current projection: 9,861

Delaware

COVID-19 deaths previously projected: 4,511

Current projection: 4,507

Florida

COVID-19 deaths previously projected: 81,502

Current projection: 83,225

Georgia

COVID-19 deaths previously projected: 44,864

Current projection: 45,387

Hawaii

COVID-19 deaths previously projected: 1,093

Current projection: 941

Idaho

COVID-19 deaths previously projected: 6,217

Current projection: 7,245

Illinois

COVID-19 deaths previously projected: 38,757

Current projection: 38,524

Indiana

COVID-19 deaths previously projected: 23,35

Current projection: 23,472

Iowa

COVID-19 deaths previously projected: 9,738

Current projection: 9,874

Kansas

COVID-19 deaths previously projected: 12,657

Current projection: 12,334

Kentucky

COVID-19 deaths previously projected: 24,730

Current projection: 23,461

Louisiana

COVID-19 deaths previously projected: 20,073

Current projection: 20,777

Maine

COVID-19 deaths previously projected: 3,012

Current projection: 2,920

Maryland

COVID-19 deaths previously projected: 20,650

Current projection: 20,076

Massachusetts

COVID-19 deaths previously projected: 20,126

Current projection: 19,910

Michigan

COVID-19 deaths previously projected: 36,048

Current projection: 36,034

Minnesota

COVID-19 deaths previously projected: 11,493

Current projection: 11,896

Mississippi

COVID-19 deaths previously projected: 17,689

Current projection: 17,518

Missouri

COVID-19 deaths previously projected: 23,991

Current projection: 24,792

Montana

COVID-19 deaths previously projected: 3,824

Current projection: 3,973

Nebraska

COVID-19 deaths previously projected: 4,886

Current projection: 4,981

Nevada

COVID-19 deaths previously projected: 11,826

Current projection: 11,930

New Hampshire

COVID-19 deaths previously projected: 3,926

Current projection: 3,615

New Jersey

COVID-19 deaths previously projected: 33,248

Current projection: 33,212

New Mexico

COVID-19 deaths previously projected: 9,033

Current projection: 9,091

New York

COVID-19 deaths previously projected: 73,184

Current projection: 72,759

North Carolina

COVID-19 deaths previously projected: 42,370

Current projection: 42,293

North Dakota

COVID-19 deaths previously projected: 2,010

Current projection: 2,019

Ohio

COVID-19 deaths previously projected: 47,063

Current projection: 47,577

Oklahoma

COVID-19 deaths previously projected: 21,814

Current projection: 22,352

Oregon

COVID-19 deaths previously projected: 11,004

Current projection: 10,437

Pennsylvania

COVID-19 deaths previously projected: 50,371

Current projection: 50,461

Rhode Island

COVID-19 deaths previously projected: 2,963

Current projection: 3,034

South Carolina

COVID-19 deaths previously projected: 25,768

Current projection: 26,023

South Dakota

COVID-19 deaths previously projected: 2,917

Current projection: 2,890

Tennesse

COVID-19 deaths previously projected: 28,474

Current projection: 28,832

Texas

COVID-19 deaths previously projected: 118,821

Current projection: 122,089

Utah

COVID-19 deaths previously projected: 6,619

Current projection: 6,849

Vermont

COVID-19 deaths previously projected: 1,034

Current projection: 1,086

Virginia

COVID-19 deaths previously projected: 29,677

Current projection: 29,602

Washington

COVID-19 deaths previously projected: 14,672

Current projection: 14,387

West Virginia

COVID-19 deaths previously projected: 11,616

Current projection: 11,514

Wisconsin

COVID-19 deaths previously projected: 16,093

Current projection: 15,439

Wyoming

COVID-19 deaths previously projected: 2,310

Current projection: 2,383


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