Though cases of the omicron variant appear to have peaked in the United States, the virus continues to claim lives. Nearly 1 million Americans have died from the virus – more than the total number of Americans killed in World War I and World War II combined.
In the Roanoke metropolitan area, located in Virginia, a total of 1,069 deaths have been attributed to the virus, equal to 341 fatalities for every 100,000 people. Nationwide, 303 deaths have been attributed to the virus per 100,000 people.
The higher than average per capita COVID-19 death rate across the metro area is being driven by one area in particular.
The broader Roanoke metro area comprises six counties or county equivalents — and of them, Salem, an independent city, has had the most COVID-19 fatalities per capita. So far, the per capita coronavirus death rate in Salem stands at 380 for every 100,000 people.
Though it has the highest per capita death rate in the Roanoke metro area, Salem ranks among the middle 50% of all U.S. counties or county equivalents by COVID-19 death rate per capita.
All COVID-19 data used in this story are current as of May 11, 2022.
| Rank | Geography | Deaths per 100,000 people | Total deaths | Confirmed cases per 100,000 people | Total confirmed cases |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Salem City, VA | 380 | 97 | 22,481 | 5,737 |
| 2 | Roanoke City, VA | 376 | 375 | 21,642 | 21,560 |
| 3 | Franklin County, VA | 352 | 198 | 19,426 | 10,924 |
| 4 | Craig County, VA | 352 | 18 | 22,042 | 1,127 |
| 5 | Botetourt County, VA | 301 | 100 | 22,792 | 7,572 |
| 6 | Roanoke County, VA | 300 | 281 | 22,949 | 21,476 |
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