The COVID-19 death toll in the United States as of Wednesday morning, June 17, is just over 117,000. This count is only the period between February, 2020, and now — less than 5 months.  How does that compare to other major events that caused the deaths of U.S. citizens?

The September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center plus deaths from those in planes:  2,977

Military during Vietnam War from battle and other causes:  90,230

Military during World War I from battle and other causes:  116,516

Military during World War II from battle and other causes: 405,399

Influenza deaths annually:  12,000 to 60,000 per year

Influenza pandemic of 1918-1919:  675,000

SARS Coronavirus, 2003:  8 cases, in U.S.,  0 deaths

MERS Coronavirus, 2014:  2 cases in U.S., 0 deaths

 

Sources:  9/11 deaths Wikipedia; war deaths the Veterans Administration; influenza, SARS, MERS deaths the CDC