California sets new coronavirus daily death record with 442

Getty Images

California on Tuesday set a new coronavirus daily death record, logging 442 fatalities, according to a tally kept by the Los Angeles Times.

The number is the equivalent of one person dying from the virus every three minutes, according to the Times.

The record comes as the U.S. broke its record for single-day coronavirus deaths, reporting 3,725 fatalities.

Over half of California’s reported deaths were recorded in Los Angeles County, setting a record for a single day in the county, according to the Times.

The newspaper predicted that the state will likely exceed 25,000 total deaths on Wednesday and that L.A. County will reach 10,000 by New Year’s Day.

The record comes as California deals with a surge in coronavirus infections that continues to impact the state and its hospital capacity.

The Golden State was the first to pass 2 million confirmed coronavirus cases last week and was forced to activate its “mass fatality” program earlier this month. The state also ordered 5,000 body bags and 60 refrigerated units.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) extended stay-at-home orders for San Joaquin Valley and Southern California on Tuesday as they both reached 0 percent ICU capacity.

California has recorded 2,230,934 cases since the pandemic began, according to the Times, and there have been 24,987 fatalities. L.A. County alone has logged 9,806 total deaths.

Tags California Coronavirus COVID-19 Gavin Newsom

Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.