U.S. Covid-19 death toll crosses 7,00,000 as Delta variant hits unvaccinated hard

The United States surpassed 7,00,000 coronavirus-related deaths on Friday as the surge from the Delta variant is starting to slow down giving overwhelmed hospitals some relief.

The country has reported an average of more than 2,000 deaths per day over the past week, which represents about 60% of the peak in fatalities in January, a Reuters analysis of public health data showed.

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The U.S still leads the world in Covid-19 cases and deaths, accounting for 19% and 14% of all reported infections and fatalities, according to a Reuters tally.

The highly transmissible Delta variant has driven a surge in Covid-19 cases that peaked around mid-September before falling to the current level of about 1,17,625 cases per day, based on a seven-day rolling average.