#US coronavirus deaths projected to be over 200,000 by October

Coronavirus deaths in the US could climb past 200,000 by October, according to the latest projections — as new cases reached record highs in several states Tuesday.

An influential model from the University of Washington now predicts the death toll from the virus to now reach 201,129 by Oct. 1 — 18 percent higher than earlier forecasts — as states reopen and relax social-distancing measures.

“It is increasingly clear that COVID-19’s toll will extend beyond the summer months in the Northern Hemisphere, and current epidemics could easily worsen as the Southern Hemisphere nears its winter season,” the university’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation said on its site.

The news came as Arizona, Florida, Texas and Oklahoma all reported record increases in new cases on Tuesday.

Arizona reported 2,392 new COVID-19 cases, Florida added 2,783, Texas tallied another 2,622, and Oklahoma racked up 228.

At least 116,500 have died from the virus across the country since the start of the pandemic.

With the virus continuing to spread, Florida was predicted to be among the hardest-hit states by October with 18,675 deaths, the group said. The estimates were up from a June 10 projection of 6,559.

The institute also revised an estimate for virus-related fatalities in California by 72 percent from 8,812 to 15,155.

And Arizona also was given a worse outlook, up by 56 percent to 7,415 fatalities up from 4,762 in the same time frame

Director Dr. Christopher Murray previously warned of grim outcomes if the virus spreads unchecked through fall.

“If the US is unable to check the growth in September, we could be facing worsening trends in October, November, and the following months if the pandemic, as we expect, follows pneumonia seasonality,” Murray said in the statement.

With Post wires