A U.S. Marine at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, has tested positive for COVID-19, becoming the state’s first case of coronavirus, the Department of Defense announced in a tweet late Saturday.
Chief Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman tweeted that “the Marine recently returned from overseas where he was on official business. Defense Secretary Mark Esper and the White House have been briefed.”
A Defense Department official told The Associated Press on background prior to the public announcement that this is the first reported U.S. military case inside the country.
The Virginia Department of Health said in a press release that ” evidence has not been seen of COVID-19 spreading in Virginia,” and the risk to the public remains low.
A U.S Marine assigned to Fort Belvoir, VA tested positive today for COVID-19 and is currently being treated at Fort Belvoir Community Hospital. The Marine recently returned from overseas where he was on official business. Secretary Esper and the White House have been briefed.
— Jonathan Rath Hoffman (@ChiefPentSpox) March 7, 2020
D.C. also confirmed its first case on Saturday, with Mayor Muriel Bowser announcing at a news conference that the 50-year-old District resident first reported feeling ill in late February. Maryland recorded three cases this week, all in Montgomery County.
WTOP is continually updating this page with information on how many cases there are locally. Check out WTOP’s coronavirus FAQs for more information on COVID-19.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
