After more than two months of declining active cases of the coronavirus among Department of Veterans Affairs patients and staff, those cases are beginning to rise again.
Since
about the end of July, active cases among VA patients and staff have generally
dropped, reaching about 2,400 cases last week. But since Sept. 17, VA recorded
more than 500 additional active cases, an about 20.8% increase in less than a
week. Active cases are still lower than in August or at the beginning of
September but are beginning the climb.
The
2,969 active cases VA recorded Sept. 22 is an about 23% decrease from the more
than 3,800 active cases this time last month, and a more than 50% drop from the
more than 6,000 active cases on July 22, when cases were peaking at the
department.
Though
the number of patients actively sick with the coronavirus had been declining,
it's still more than twice the number of active cases it had when the
department hit a low point of about 1,252 on June 3.
VA has recorded 58,230 total COVID-19 cases so far during the pandemic, adding about 10,000 cases in the last month and more than 2,100 cases in the last week. That total includes active cases and those considered "convalescent," patients who are either recovering at home or who have gone more than 14 days since they tested positive. At the current rate, VA could reach 60,000 total cases by October.
