Imagine if every person in Reno, Nevada, suddenly died. That's how many lives COVID-19 has claimed in the US so far.

• At least 250,000 Americans had died from COVID-19 as of Wednesday, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
• That's roughly equivalent to the population of Reno, Nevada.
• Public-health experts have warned that without mitigation, the US could see more than 2,000 deaths each day as a result of COVID-19.

At least 250,000 Americans had died from COVID-19 as of Wednesday, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

Though recent weeks have seen promising vaccine developments, the US has found itself in a grim position that could get even worse, with the leading US model now projecting a death toll of 438,941 from the novel coronavirus by March 1.

Earlier this week, The COVID Tracking Project found that an average of 1,100 Americans were dying every day from COVID-19, and hospitalizations have reached an all-time high.

Public-health experts have warned that the winter months could be the deadliest of the pandemic. In the past week, the US has consistently reset records for daily new cases, and experts are warning that with the winter months expected to cause people to congregate indoors, more than 2,000 people a day could die from the virus in the US if proper mitigation efforts are not enforced, The New York Times reported.

This month, two US companies announced that their COVID-19 vaccines were found to be effective in late-stage trials and that they would soon be seeking emergency authorization from the Food and Drug Administration for distribution. Widespread availability is not expected for at least a few months, however, and some experts like Dr. Anthony Fauci have said life won't completely return to normal until there is global distribution.

There is also a leadership vacuum, with President Donald Trump largely absent from public view since his loss in the election. While refusing to concede, he has blocked President-elect Joe Biden from accessing key information for a smooth transition, including information on COVID-19, a decision that Biden has said could lead to more needless deaths.

"More people may die if we don't coordinate," Biden said.

Hospitals across the country have been overburdened by the growing number of severe infections. On Wednesday, the president-elect got emotional and teared up while talking to an intensive-care-unit nurse about her experience treating COVID-19 patients.

"You got me emotional," Biden said on a video call. "Anyone who spent significant time in ICU, like I did for months, ... observed the incredible mental strain on nurses in ICU units."