VA secretary confirms first veteran death due to coronavirus

Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie confirmed Wednesday the first death of a military veteran suffering from the coronavirus.

At a White House press conference alongside President Trump, Wilkie told members of the media that the VA had confirmed more than 40 cases of the virus among members of the veteran community, with one death so far.

The VA earlier this week first announced that a veteran had died at one of its facilities in Portland, Ore., facility.

“A Veteran patient in their 70s died March 14 at VA Portland Health Care System due to complications from Coronavirus (COVID-19). This case was previously reported as a presumptive positive in an earlier case count,” the agency stated Monday. At the time, just 30 confirmed cases had been reported by the VA.

Wilkie also announced at Wednesday’s press conference that the VA had suspended elective surgeries and some dental work in order to retool facilities to respond to the coronavirus outbreak, while routine doctor’s visits had also decreased.

The coronavirus has now sickened more than 6,400 people in the U.S., with the death toll passing 100 across the country this week.

More than 200,000 people have been infected worldwide and the World Health Organization has declared the outbreak of coronavirus a pandemic.