WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The first U.S. military service member has died from the coronavirus, the Pentagon said on Monday, as it reported another spike in the number of infected troops.
The service member was a New Jersey Army National Guardsman who tested positive for COVID-19 – the disease caused by the coronavirus – and had been in hospital since March 21. He died on Saturday, the Pentagon said.
“Today is a sad day for the Department of Defense as we have lost our first American service member – active, reserve or Guard – to coronavirus,” Defense Secretary Mark Esper said in a statement. “This is a st