In the beginning of 2020 - the first few months that is - the number of cases were exceedingly few in comparison to the numbers later. In the beginning of 2021, Covid was no longer something happening in New Rochelle New York. It was Coast to Coast, Pacific to Pacific - worldwide. So of course the numbers of dead were higher later because the number infected were higher later. A house is going to burn down a lot quicker when the whole house is on fire as opposed to from a lit match in a corner somewhere.