Massachusetts has had a surge in drownings as well.
People more careless without any future certainties? Without a year of swimming practice due to lockdowns? Fewer swimming lessons yhrough the same?
Per usual in MA lots of young males and disproportionately black.
I have noticed that people who can’t swim or never did much swimming always seem to think it’ll come to them. So they go for it.
Of course they learn it does not just come to them.