{"id":111079,"date":"2020-05-22T18:12:46","date_gmt":"2020-05-22T18:12:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/uncategorized\/2020\/05\/22\/dod-coronavirus-deaths-spiked-this-week\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T12:34:18","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T12:34:18","slug":"dod-coronavirus-deaths-spiked-this-week","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/your-military\/2020\/05\/22\/dod-coronavirus-deaths-spiked-this-week\/","title":{"rendered":"DoD coronavirus deaths spiked this week"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Defense Department\u2019s COVID-19<\/a> death toll jumped more than 18 percent this week, as five deaths brought the overall numbers to 32, according to data released Friday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two civilians, two contractors and a dependent died this week, the first deaths since late April<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While overall cases throughout the military and the department have slowed, the numbers continue to grow in the hundreds each week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA second wave is a possibility,\u201d Defense Secretary Mark Esper<\/a> told the Today Show on Friday. \u201cI don\u2019t think the coronavirus is going away any time soon \u2015 at least not until we have a vaccine or cure.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For now, the DoD curve has mostly flattened, save for a steady stream of service member diagnoses as an asymptomatic testing plan continues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As of Friday, 5,959 troops have been diagnosed, 161 of whom have been hospitalized, with 3,103 recoveries and two deaths. That brings the infection rate among service members to almost 0.3 percent, as the nationwide rate has climbed to just under 0.5 percent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of those, 39 percent come from the Navy \u2015 2,330 so far \u2015 after outbreaks on two ships prompted 100-percent crew testing. With 125 new cases since May 15, the service saw a 5-percent increase. That amounts to roughly<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Army is up to 1,295 cases, 123 of which were diagnosed in the past week, for a 10-percent increase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Marine Corps, so far, has had the second-highest infection rate, with 196 infections per 100,000 Marines. As of Friday that meant 517 total diagnoses, with 36 new cases this week, an increase of 7 percent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Air Force continues to have the least cases-per-capita, with about 106 per 100,000 airman in the active duty and Air Force Reserve. There have been 469 diagnoses so far, up 27 this week, a 6-percent increase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The service\u2019s comparatively low infection rate might have something to do with not only its operations, but its general locations. Being able to spread out personnel on flight lines, with large bases in more remote locations, might have offered an advantage, Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein told Air Force Times on Tuesday.<\/p>\n\n\n\t