US faces wave of Omicron deaths in coming weeks, coronavirus modelling shows
- 50,000 to 300,000 more Americans could die by the time the current Covid-19 wave subsides in mid-March
- Despite signs Omicron causes milder disease on average, an unprecedented level of infection means many vulnerable people will become severely ill
The fast-moving Omicron variant may cause less severe disease on average, but Covid-19 deaths in the US are climbing and modellers forecast 50,000 to 300,000 more Americans could die by the time the wave subsides in mid-March.
The seven-day rolling average for daily new Covid-19 deaths in the US has been trending upwards since mid-November, reaching nearly 1,700 on January 17 – still below the peak of 3,300 in January 2021.
Covid-19 deaths among nursing home residents started rising slightly two weeks ago, although still at a rate 10 times less than last year before most residents were vaccinated.
Despite signs Omicron causes milder disease on average, the unprecedented level of infection spreading through the country, with cases still soaring in many states, means many vulnerable people will become severely ill.
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If the higher end of projections comes to pass, that would push total US deaths from Covid-19 over 1 million by early spring.
