US COVID-19 death toll breaches 900K mark

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The U.S. death toll from COVID-19 passed the 900,000 mark on Friday. 

As of Saturday afternoon, data from the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center showed that there were 901,391 deaths.

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This milestone comes less than two months after the toll eclipsed 800,000 deaths. 

The real number of lives lost directly or indirectly to the coronavirus is believed to be significantly higher and experts believe some COVID-19 deaths have been misattributed to other conditions.  

The national coronavirus case count exceeds 76.3 million, according to the university's tracker. 

Visitors walk by the COVID-19 memorial "Strength and Love" made of 26,661 white flags on the lawn of the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles, California, U.S., November 20, 2021.  (REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni )

In the past day, there were 371,447 new cases – a number that has fallen significantly since mid-January – and 4,154 new deaths.

The daily death toll, even as the omicron wave has seemingly crested in some states and cases and hospitalizations have started to fall, has continued to increase. 

The highly transmissible variant of concern now accounts for 99.9% of new COVID-19 cases in the nation.

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said last week that unvaccinated people are 97 times more likely to die from omicron than those who were up to date with their vaccinations. 

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"If you are not up to date on your COVID-19 vaccinations, you have not optimized your protection against severe disease and death, and you should get vaccinated and boosted if you are eligible," she urged during a White House COVID-19 Response Team briefing. 

In a Friday statement, President Biden urged Americans to do their part in order to save lives. 

"After nearly two years, I know that the emotional, physical, and psychological weight of this pandemic has been incredibly difficult to bear. I know what it’s like to stare at an empty chair around the kitchen table. But I also know that we carry an incredible capacity within ourselves – not only to come through our grief stronger, but to come together to protect one another," he wrote. 

White flags honoring the lives lost to COVID-19 are seen on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., the United States, on Oct. 2, 2021.   (Liu Jie/Xinhua via Getty Images)

"We now have more tools than ever before to save lives and fight this virus – with vaccines remaining our most important tool. Vaccines and boosters have proven incredibly effective, and offer the highest level of protection. 250 million Americans have stepped up to protect themselves, their families, and their communities by getting at least one shot – and we have saved more than one million American lives as a result," the president continued. 

"We can save even more lives – and spare countless families from the deepest pain imaginable – if everybody does their part. I urge all Americans: get vaccinated, get your kids vaccinated, and get your booster shot if you are eligible. It’s free, easy, and effective – and it can save your life, and the lives of those you love," Biden concluded.

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CDC data shows 212.5 million Americans are fully vaccinated and 89.3 million have received a booster dose.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.