The number of coronavirus-related deaths in California surpassed that of New York on the last day to become the highest in the country. The state added 487 new deaths to reach a total of 45,496 deaths this week, and has a test positivity rate of 7.51%, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
The New York test’s positivity rate is 4.39%, and the state recorded 45,312 coronavirus-related deaths. Texas is listed in third place with 40,148 deaths, but has a state positivity rate of 13.67%.
California’s gloomy milestone comes when the state sees a slight improvement in ICU capacity, with 87% of beds occupied this week, compared with 90% two weeks ago. The state is also seeing downward trends in new daily cases.
UC BERKELEY APPLYING COVID LOCKDOWNS WITH OFFICIALS IN DORMITORIES, PROHIBITION OF OUTDOOR EXERCISES
After a slow start to the vaccine launch, the state stepped up efforts and saw more than 5 million of the 7.6 million doses administered. California is vaccinating people in Phase 1A and 1B of the Phase, which includes teachers, emergency service workers, agricultural and food workers and people over 65.
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A new mass vaccination site was announced by Governor Gavin Newsom earlier this week, which will be installed in central California. The new location follows two others that were created at Oakland-Alameda Coliseum and California State University in Los Angeles.