Model says COVID-19 deaths could surpass 317,000 by December

(HealthDay)—A widely cited model for COVID-19 deaths in the United States predicts a total of 317,000 deaths by December.

On Friday morning, a model from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington forecasts that the number of COVID-19 deaths may reach 317,312 by December, an increase of about 8,000 deaths from a previous estimate one week ago. There could be more than 136,000 more deaths between now and December, and the daily death rate could rise to more than 2,000 per day, according to the latest IHME estimate, CNN reported.

However, the IHME researchers noted that "if mask wearing in public increases to 95 percent, more than 67,000 lives could be saved."

Since January, there have been more than 5 million COVID-19 cases in the United States and more than 180,000 deaths, according to the latest data compiled by Johns Hopkins University, CNN reported.