California surpassed New York as the US state with the most coronavirus deaths, a grim reminder of the pandemic's toll even as the vaccine rollout and a sharp drop in new cases buoyed hopes of life eventually returning to normal.

More than 45,000 people have died from the coronavirus in California, the most populous of the 50 states and one of the hardest hit in recent months.

New York, severely stricken in the early stages of pandemic last spring, has reported 44,693 lives lost, according to a Reuters tally.

“This is a heart-wrenching reminder that Covid-19 is a deadly virus, and we mourn alongside every Californian who has suffered the tragic loss of a loved one during this pandemic," Dr Mark Ghaly, the state's health secretary, said of the milestone in an email to Reuters.

California, home to some 40 million people, emerged as a main US epicentre of the pandemic during a year-end surge of infections and hospitalisations that swept much of the country, pushing many healthcare systems to their limits.