National Guard increasing troops to combat virus

The National Guard is expected to increase the number of its troops by more than 10,000 in the next week or two in the fight against the coronavirus, the commander of National Guard Bureau said Wednesday.

General Joseph Lengyel told reporters at the Pentagon that nearly 29,000 National Guard troops are currently being used throughout the United States.

"Nearly three out of every four you see in uniform are supporting testing sites, enhancing medical capacity or delivering critically needed medical supplies and food are likely to be guardsmen and women," he said.

Lengylel said that they were authorized to go up to 44,000 troops and that more than 1,000 National Guard troops were being added to the efforts on a daily basis.

"It's going to continue to go up. I think this week will be well over over 30000 in the next couple of days," he said.

In New York Lengyel said that National Guard troops were also involved in mortuary affairs, saying that about 150 bodies were being removed from homes daily, up from the usual of 25 bodies.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.