Total number of U.S. coronavirus (COVID-19) cases and deaths January 23, 2022

As of January 23, 2022, the number of both confirmed and presumptive positive cases of the COVID-19 disease reported in the United States had reached nearly 70 million and over 862 thousand deaths were reported among these cases.

Coronavirus deaths by age in the U.S.

The risk of infection remains high, as daily new cases have hit record highs at the beginning of 2022. Underlying health conditions can worsen cases of coronavirus, and case fatality rates among confirmed COVID-19 patients increase with age. The highest number of deaths from COVID-19 have been among those aged 85 years and older, with this age group accounting for over 219 thousand deaths.

Where has this coronavirus come from?

Coronaviruses are a large group of viruses transmitted between animals and people that cause illnesses ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases. The novel coronavirus that is currently infecting humans was already circulating among certain animal species. The first human case of this new coronavirus strain was reported in China at the end of December 2019. The coronavirus was named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and its associated disease is known as COVID-19.