California Surpasses New York as US State With Most COVID-19 Deaths

A person crosses the street downtown during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease in Los Angeles, Calif., on Feb. 4, 2021. Mario Anzuoni/Reuters

SACRAMENTO, Calif.—California surpassed New York on Tuesday as the U.S. state with the most coronavirus deaths, despite the vaccine rollout and a sharp drop in new cases.

More than 45,000 people have died as of late Tuesday from COVID-19 in California, the most populous of the 50 states and one of the hardest hit in recent months. New York, severely stricken in the early stages of pandemic last spring, has reported 44,693 lives lost, according to a Reuters tally.