Nearly 163K DoD members test positive for COVID-19 in 2020

U.S. Army service members from the 531st field hospital, deployed from Fort Campbell, Kentucky examine a patient x-ray results at the Javits New York Medical Station in support of the Department of Defense COVID-19 response, April 18, 2020. U.S. Northern Command, through U.S. Army North, is providing military support to the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help communities in need. (U.S. Army photo by Cpl. Rachel Thicklin)

As 2020 comes to an end, the Pentagon is reporting nearly 163,000 positive COVID-19 cases within the Department of Defense since the pandemic began -- with most of those cases involving members of the military.

The DOD is the largest agency in the federal government and is the nation’s largest employer with more than 1.3 million active-duty service members, 750,000 civilian personnel, and more than 811,000 National Guard and Reserve service members.

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As of Dec. 30, 2020, there were 162,764 cumulative cases of COVID-19 within DoD. Here is the breakdown:

  • Military: 105,871 positive cases
  • Civilian: 29,582 positive cases
  • Dependent: 16,984 positive cases
  • Contractor: 10,327 positive cases

Here is the breakdown of COVID-19 cases by branch:

  • Army: 37,736 positive cases
  • Marine Corps: 12,763 positive cases
  • Navy: 22,225 positive cases
  • Air Force: 19,520 positive cases
  • National Guard: 12,897 positive cases
  • DoD Agencies: 730 positive cases

The Pentagon reports a total of 2,318 hospitalizations due to COVID and most involve military members and civilians.

  • Military: 931 hospitalizations
  • Civilian: 866 hospitalizations
  • Dependent: 208 hospitalizations
  • Contractor: 313 hospitalizations

While Florida’s Department of Health does not report the number of people who have recovered from COVID-19, the Pentagon does. The total number of those who have recovered from the virus is 100,851.

  • Military: 68,049 recoveries
  • Civilian: 15,985 recoveries
  • Dependent: 10,626 recoveries
  • Contractor: 6,191 recoveries

There have been 180 deaths related to COVID-19, with a majority involving civilians.

  • Military: 14 COVID-related deaths
  • Civilian: 116 COVID-related deaths
  • Dependent: 9 COVID-related deaths
  • Contractors: 41 COVID-related deaths

The Department of Defense updates COVID-19 case information three times a week, and like county and state agencies across the country, has begun vaccinating those who are fighting on the front lines of the pandemic.

The Department of Defense says Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines have been distributed to more than 150 DoD vaccine administration sites in the United States and at overseas locations. Since Dec. 13, DoD has received more than 160,000 vaccine doses from the U.S. allocation.