Orlando VA tops in state case counts

The Orlando VA has reported more than 1,000 COVID-19 cases since March, the most number of infections among the VA health systems in Florida, according to a dashboard by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Florida’s six VA health systems together have reported more than 4,650

COVID cases, including

106 deaths.

Orlando VA, which covers six counties and is one of the largest in the state, has had one of the lowest number of deaths — 13 — among the VA health systems in Florida.

In comparison, West Palm Beach VA, which has reported half as many cases as Orlando, has had 27 deaths. Tampa VA, with 773 cases, had reported 25 deaths, according to the VA dashboard, which is updated hourly.

The numbers only capture COVID-19 patients who have been tested or treated at VA facilities and the true extent of the virus among veterans is not known.

Also unknown is the impact of the pandemic on other aspects of veterans’ lives, including mental health and drug abuse, said Rick Disney, a third generation Marine and a grassroots director in Tampa with Concerned Veterans for America, a VA watchdog group.

“Everyone’s talking about what’s the VA doing for COVID directly, but a lot of the other stuff will be

coming down the line,” Disney said.

An Orlando VA spokeswoman said that even though the local health system serves more than 100,000 veterans each year, its COVID positivity rate has been just above 1%. She added that Orlando VA’s COVID mortality rate has been 1% and attributed it to the health system’s “multidisciplinary team approach and strong clinical care.”

Florida’s seven-day average positivity rate is currently at 13.4%. Overall, 2% of people who have been infected with the virus have died, although the rates vary widely by age group. For instance, adults 65 years and older make up more than 80% of all deaths in Florida.

The VA says on its website that its data can’t be compared with infection or mortality rates in the general public because of the differences in population risk, test availability and follow-up.

The Orlando VA hospital currently has 12 COVID-19 patients and there are 103 VA patients in the community who currently have the virus, said Heather Frebe, the Orlando VA spokeswoman.

“Like our surrounding communities, our hospitalized numbers have leveled off and we continue to be on alert and ready to support future surges,” said Frebe. “We plan to continue being a major hub of testing for the VA Sunshine Healthcare

Network.”

Nationwide, more than 44,000 patients with COVID-19 have been tested or treated at the VA facilities since March and 2,350 have died.

Of all the cases at VAs across the state, 520 — or 11% of the COVID infections — have been among VA employees. In Orlando VA, the employee infection rate is about 8% — or 83 individuals.

In total, 46 VA employees nationwide have died from COVID, including two in Florida — at Miami and West Palm Beach VAs, according to the agency.

The New Jersey and New York Harbor VAs have reported the highest number of COVID deaths among veterans nationally, with more than 100 cases each.

“We know from past experience that the true extent and impact of an epidemic only emerges over time, and is particularly dependent on having widely available and accurate testing throughout the community,” said the agency on its website. As of Wednesday, Florida had reported more than 550,000 COVID cases and 8,700 deaths.

Nationwide, there have been nearly 5.2 million COVID cases, the highest number reported by any country, and more than 165,000 deaths.

Got tips about health care, testing or medical bills? You can reach me at nmiller@ orlandosentinel.com. Call, text, Signal: 321-710-7947; Twitter @NaseemMiller.