US military reports record 1,300 coronavirus cases in one day

U.S. officials recorded more than 1,300 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 among members of the armed forces on Tuesday, a new record for the military over a 24-hour period, CNN reported.

Officials also told the network that the test positivity rate among the armed forces is now 6.8 percent, lower than the U.S. national average.

A dashboard operated by the Defense Department indicates that more than 69,000 cases have been confirmed among active members of the military, while tens of thousands more have been recorded among contractors and civilian members of the Defense Department.

The new totals come as the U.S. coronavirus outbreak has surged in pace over the last several week, with health officials recording more than one million new cases over the past seven days and the U.S. passing 250,000 deaths from the virus on Wednesday.

News of rising case members among the armed forces also comes a month after an audit was launched by the Pentagon’s inspector general to determine whether the agency allocated funds it received under the coronavirus stimulus CARES Act appropriately.