Daily death average nearly 8 times higher than in mid-July
Although daily deaths have declined by about 17% in the last four weeks, the U.S. is still reporting an average of 1,465 new deaths each day, according to federal data. Over the last four days alone, the U.S. reported another 7,500 confirmed COVID-19 deaths.
![PHOTO: Aubrea Baker displays her wedding photo as she and her 7-month-old daughter Haylen visit one of her late husband's favorite fishing spots, Oct. 2, 2021, in Burlington, Kan.](https://s.abcnews.com/images/International/covid-death-ap-rc-211011_1633969454346_hpEmbed_3x2_992.jpg)
The death average is nearly eight times higher than in mid-July when the national average had dropped to a near pandemic low of 192 daily deaths, according to federal data.
But hospitalization admissions have dropped by about 11.4% in the last week, according to federal data.
There are currently about 65,000 COVID-19 patients in U.S. hospitals, down from 104,000 patients in late August.
![](https://s.abcnews.com/images/International/covid-reuters-rc-211011_1633970249479_hpEmbed_3x2_992.jpg)
In the Mountain Region -- Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming -- hospital admissions are steadily trending up, federal data show. In the Northeast, hospital admissions are no longer trending down.
-ABC News' Arielle Mitropoulos