Despite Covid-19 surges in Europe, the United States of America’s extraordinary death toll remains among the worst in the developed world. As of January 9, 2021, nearly 373,000 people have died of Covid-19 in the US, with a death rate of more than 1.1 per 1,000 people, according to Our World in Data.

While there are nations with higher death rates, this still puts the US in the top 20 percent for deaths among the world’s developed countries, with more than twice the death rate of the median developed country.

Some numbers to put that in perspective:

  • If the US had the same death rate as the European Union overall, nearly 79,000 Americans who died of Covid-19 would likely still be alive (unless they died of other causes).
  • If the US had the same death rate as Canada, nearly 225,000 Americans who died of Covid-19 would likely still be alive.
  • If the US had the same death rate as Japan, nearly 363,000 Americans who died of Covid-19 would likely still be alive — and fewer than 10,000 Americans would have died of the disease.

Read the full article about COVID-19 death tolls among wealthy nations  by German Lopez at Vox.