In roughly a month since the first U.S. service member, a South Korea-based soldier, tested positive for coronavirus, the military is nearing 1,000 confirmed cases.
More than 400 active duty, National Guard and Reserve troops were diagnosed this week, according to the latest Defense Department data. Four deaths were also reported this week, including two civilians, a New Jersey National Guardsman and a contractor, bringing the toll to six.
Overall cases in the U.S. also spike this week, adding roughly 100,000 patients since Monday ― nearly doubling the numbers.
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Service members’ rate of infection has rise to 466-per-million, while the general U.S. populations rate has ballooned to 651-per-million. The DoD death rate has also risen, from 0.2 percent to 0.3 percent as of Friday, versus the overall 2.1 percent rate in the U.S.
Currently, there are 905 troops with COVID-19, as well as 73 more who have recovered. The number stands at 395 for civilians, with 11 recovered; 244 dependents, with 12 recovered; and 106 contractors, two of whom have recovered.
Of 978 total positives since late February, 353 are soldiers ― 76 of them Guardsmen ― as well as 322 sailors, 73 Marines and 230 airmen ― none of them Guardsmen.
Meghann Myers is the Pentagon bureau chief at Military Times. She covers operations, policy, personnel, leadership and other issues affecting service members.
