Member-only story
Will any state catch New York’s coronavirus per capita death rate?
By Kent R. Kroeger (June 8, 2020)
At over three months into the 2020 Coronavirus Pandemic, a June 2nd Los Angeles Times headline — L.A. County reports 60 new coronavirus deaths as testing sites close for second day amid protests — left me feeling particularly discouraged.
Sixty deaths in one day for L.A. County is a significant increase at a time when California had been looking like they had turned the corner on the coronavirus. [California averaged about 60 deaths-a-day statewide over the past week.]
Like many observers, I believe California Governor Gavin Newsom has done one of the more commendable jobs in handling this health crisis, and he has done so with very little partisan grandstanding and preening for the news cameras.
I cannot say the same for New York Governor Andrew Cuomo — who seems to be in a perpetual pissing match with President Trump.
However, I am generally forgiving of Gov. Cuomo given the sheer scale of tragedy his state has faced during this pandemic. At around 1,580 COVID-19 deaths per 1 million people, New York’s death rate far surpasses the state with the second highest death rate, New Jersey, at around 1,360 deaths per 1 million people.
