---
title: "The number of veteran deaths from COVID-19 tripled over the weekend"
description: "The number of veteran patients who have died from complications due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) tripled over the weekend from 9 to 27 deaths, according to data released by the Department of Veterans Affairs on Tuesday."
date: "2020-03-31"
modified: "2020-03-31"
authors:
  - name: "Jared Keller"
    job_title: "Former Managing Editor"
    link: "https://taskandpurpose.com/authors/jaredkeller/"
url: "https://taskandpurpose.com/military-life/veteran-coronavirus-deaths-tripled-weekend/"
categories:
  - "Around the World"
  - "News"
  - "United States"
tags:
  - "Covid-19"
---

# The number of veteran deaths from COVID-19 tripled over the weekend

![](<https://taskandpurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/22152237.jpg>)

The number of veteran patients who have died from complications due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) tripled over the weekend [from 9 ](<https://web.archive.org/web/20200327194722/https://www.publichealth.va.gov/n-coronavirus/>)[to 27 deaths](<https://web.archive.org/web/20200330022207/https://www.publichealth.va.gov/n-coronavirus/>) on Monday, according to data released by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Deaths have been reported at veterans affairs medical centers in New York, New Orleans, Washington DC, Minneapolis, Indianapolis, and Detroit, [according](<https://www.publichealth.va.gov/n-coronavirus/>) to the VA, primarily involving patients in the their 60s and 70s.

Veterans are uniquely at risk of falling seriously ill from COVID-19 due to the high average age of the population ([58 years old](<https://www.va.gov/VETDATA/docs/SurveysAndStudies/VETPOP.pdf>)) and the prevalence of underlying health conditions that could be exacerbated by the virus, [per Minneapolis Public Radio.](<https://www.mprnews.org/story/2020/03/26/veterans-va-brace-for-covid19-impact>)

As of March 30, the VA had reported 1,166 positive COVID-19 cases among its veteran population.

The cities with the most positive COVID-19 diagnoses are New Orleans (239 cases, New York (126 cases), Atlanta (53 cases), Denver (50 cases), Washington DC (42 cases) and Chicago (37 cases).

The VA released its COVID-19 [response plan](<https://images.radio.com/connectingvets/VHA_COVID_19_03232020_vF_1.pdf>) on Friday that projected that the prevalence of the virus in the VA health system could last up to 18 months and include "multiple waves" of illness.

While Congress's COVID-19 contains $19.57 billion for the VA to ensure that veterans receive consistent care during the pandemic, the VA response plan [projects](<https://images.radio.com/connectingvets/VHA_COVID_19_03232020_vF_1.pdf>) that 40 percent of its staff could end up absent during a severe outbreak.

“VA has a world-class medical team doing incredible work on the frontlines of this fight,” VA Secretary Robert Wilkie [said](<https://images.radio.com/connectingvets/VHA_COVID_19_03232020_vF_1.pdf>) in a statement. "We will continue to share best practices and lessons learned with other government agencies and the private health care system as appropriate so we can defeat COVID-19 as a nation.”

**SEE ALSO: [COVID-19 situation report: The latest coronavirus updates from the US military](<https://taskandpurpose.com/news/covid-19-military/>)**

## Author
Jared Keller is the former managing editor of Task & Purpose. His writing has appeared in Aeon, the Los Angeles Review of Books, the New Republic, Pacific Standard, Smithsonian, and The Washington Post, among other publications.

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