More Than 300 People in the U.S. Are Still Dying from COVID Weekly

More than five years after the first COVID-19 cases emerged in the U.S., hundreds of people continue to die from the virus each week.

Although the U.S. is in a much better place now, COVID remains a serious threat to high-risk individuals.

In April, an average of about 350 people died weekly from COVID-19, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Mary Kekatos reported for Good Morning America (GMA) of ABC News.

While still high, the number of deaths has declined significantly from the peak of 25,974 deaths recorded the week ending January 9, 2021, as well as from springtime death tolls in previous years.

Public health experts told ABC News that although the U.S. is in a much better place now, COVID remains a serious threat to high-risk individuals.

“The fact that we're still seeing deaths just means it's still circulating, and people are still catching it,” said Dr. Tony Moody, a professor in the Department of Pediatrics, Division of Infectious Diseases, at Duke University Medical Center.

Experts cited several reasons why deaths continue, including low vaccination uptake, waning immunity, and limited access to treatments.

During the 2024–25 season, only 23% of adults aged 18 and older received the updated COVID-19 vaccine as of the week ending April 26, CDC data shows. Among children, just 13% received the updated vaccine during the same period.

Dr. Gregory Poland, a vaccinologist and president and co-director of the Atria Research Institute, which focuses on disease prevention, said the low vaccine uptake is likely contributing to continued deaths. He added that some vaccinated individuals may not be mounting a proper immune response.