California exceeds 1 million confirmed COVID-19 cases, ranking it as the second state in the U.S. with such a high total.
Swarming Coronavirus: California Now Second U.S. State Surpassing 1 Million Infections
In the never-ending battle against the coronavirus, California has joinedTexas in the grim race of becoming the first states in the U.S. to eclipse a staggering one million cases. This troubling milestone was confirmed by Johns Hopkins University on Thursday, solely based on data provided by federal and local authorities, as reported by TASS.
Previously, on November 11, Texas bragged about being the first to reach this chilling figure.
To put things into perspective, The New York Times paints a clear picture by revealing that California has scaled the same COVID-19 infection heights as countries like Brazil and France, per capita. As of now, California has already recorded a heart-wrenching figure of over 18,000 deaths related to COVID-19, the disease caused by the dreaded coronavirus. Only New York and Texas have mortality rates higher than California within the United States.
On Thursday, The Washington Post etched a grim record in the U.S. history books, reporting the highest daily tally of new cases ever recorded in a single day – a whopping 152,000 cases.
In total, Johns Hopkins University paints a grim picture with over 10.5 million cases of coronavirus reported in the U.S., with over 242,600 deaths. The U.S. leads the world in both categories.
While we can't sugarcoat it, California's COVID-19 situation is similar to a fierce storm brewing, with no respite in sight. To fully grasp the gravity of the situation, it's important to understand the historical context and current trends.
California was among the first states to identify COVID-19 cases in the United States, with the first confirmed case on January 26, 2020[2]. As of today, the CDC estimates that COVID-19 infections are either growing or declining in various states, but specific per capita rates for California are not detailed in the available data[1]. However, California's trends can be assessed by monitoring the reproductive number ((R_t)), which helps determine if infections are increasing or decreasing.
California's tussle with COVID-19 is part of a larger battle raging across the U.S. As of June 3, 2025, the CDC reports that COVID-19 infections are growing or likely growing in 6 states, declining or likely declining in 14 states, and not changing in 25 states[1]. This offers a broad overview but does not provide specific per capita rates for each state.
For a global comparison, it's necessary to take a closer look at cumulative confirmed cases per million people and global tracking reports. Our World in Data provides a striking global map showing cumulative confirmed cases per million people, which allows for comparison across countries. However, weekly and bi-weekly changes in cases are more indicative of current trends.
The KFF Global COVID-19 Tracker offers cumulative cases and deaths, as well as daily case rates by country, which can be used for international comparisons.
However, it's crucial to acknowledge the limitations of current data sources. Specific per capita rates for California and other states are not readily available. The CDC's (R_t) values offer insights into whether infections are increasing or decreasing but do not provide direct per capita infection rates. Daily case reporting can also vary significantly due to differences in testing and reporting practices, both within the U.S. and globally.
For precise per capita infection rates, it's advisable to consult local health department reports or more detailed epidemiological studies. But to monitor the general trend of COVID-19 in California and other states, it's essential to keep an eye on the CDC's (R_t) values and global tracking resources.
Stay tuned as we update you on this never-ending saga. COVID-19 is here, and it's one battle the world can't afford to lose. Let's unite, mask up, and beat the virus together!
- The escalating health-and-wellness crisis surrounding COVID-19 has made its ways into the political arena, with California, like Texas before it, surpassing one million confirmed cases, a milestone significant enough to be covered by general-news outlets such as TASS and The New York Times.
- Science has played a crucial role in tracking the spread of the coronavirus, with the CDC monitoring the reproductive number (R_t) to determine infection trends in various states, including California. However, this data does not provide specific per capita rates, making it challenging to fully comprehend the situation on a broader scale.
- As the United States leads the world in the number of COVID-19 cases, it's important to consider the current medical-conditions situation in relation to other countries. For instance, California's per capita COVID-19 infection rate now rivals those of countries like Brazil and France, underscoring the gravity of the global pandemic.
