July 21, 2020

Rise in Virus Cases Near Bases in U.S. and Abroad Poses Test for Military

Source: The New York Times

Journalists: Thomas Gibbons-Neff, Jennifer Steinhauer

More than 20,000 American service members have contracted the coronavirus, and the infection rate in the services has tripled over the past six weeks as the United States military has emerged as a potential source of transmission both domestically and abroad, according to military and local public health officials.

Cases are rising the most on military bases in Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia and Texas, states that have all seen surges in confirmed infections. At a base in Okinawa, Japan, the U.S. Marine Corps has reported nearly 100 cases, enraging local officials. And in war zones in Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria, already awash with unreported cases, U.S. troops have contended with outbreaks within their ranks.

Read the full story and more from The New York Times.

Author

  • Dr. Jason Dempsey

    Adjunct Senior Fellow, Military, Veterans, and Society Program

    Jason Dempsey is an Adjunct Senior Fellow of the Military, Veterans, and Society Program at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS). Dr. Dempsey has written on American ...