Nearly 2,000 VA patients, 500 staff have tested positive for coronavirus

WASHINGTON – Nearly 2,000 veterans and more than 500 Department of Veterans Affairs employees have tested positive for the coronavirus, according to data released by the department Thursday.

The agency also reported 68 veteran deaths across the VA health care system – an increase from six deaths one week ago. The veterans ranged in age from their 50s to their 90s.

Nationwide, more than 213,000 people in the United States were known to be infected in the global pandemic Thursday, and the death toll had climbed to 5,700. New York has been the most affected in terms of number of cases and deaths.

New York-area VA hospitals had seen some of the most cases of all medical facilities across the department. The VA operates 172 medical centers and is responsible for treating more than 9 million veterans. As of Thursday, it had tracked 1,921 cases of coronavirus among VA patients.

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