The ongoing vaccination effort is allowing life in the United States to return to some degree of normalcy after COVID-19 wreaked havoc for well over a year. So far, the virus has claimed 577,510 American lives — more than the total number of Americans killed in World War I and World War II combined.
In the Grand Island metropolitan area, located in Nebraska, a total of 160 deaths have been attributed to the virus, equal to 189 fatalities for every 100,000 people. Nationwide, 177 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 disproportionately by one area in particular.
The broader Grand Island metro area comprises four counties or county equivalents — and of them, Merrick County has had the most COVID-19 fatalities per capita. So far, the per capita coronavirus death rate in Merrick County stands at 192 for every 100,000 people.
Though it has the highest per capita death rate in the Grand Island metro area, Merrick County ranks among the middle 50% of all U.S. counties or county equivalents with at least one COVID-19 fatality by death rate per capita.
All COVID-19 data used in this story are current as of May 13, 2021.
| Rank | Geography | Deaths per 100,000 people | Total deaths | Confirmed cases per 100,000 people | Total confirmed cases |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Howard County | 171.7 | 11 | 8,618 | 552 |
| 1 | Merrick County | 192.2 | 15 | 9,791 | 764 |
| 2 | Hall County | 190.7 | 117 | 12,743 | 7,817 |
| 3 | Hamilton County | 185.2 | 17 | 10,384 | 953 |
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