More than 400 Transportation Security Administration employees working at U.S. airports have tested positive for the coronavirus, according to the federal agency.
“Overall, TSA has had 428 employees, both screeners and non-screeners, test positive for COVID-19. 57 employees have recovered, and 3 have unfortunately died as a result of the virus,” TSA wrote in a statement on its website.
The outbreaks span 55 airports, with John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York and Newark International Airport in New Jersey reporting the most known cases. The number of cases has surged over the past three weeks since TSA reported less than 50 cases among officers. TSA officers work in close proximity with the public, instructing airline passengers how to display their belongings as they pass through security checkpoints, and sometimes patting down passengers.
Despite the increasing number of cases, the number of people flying remains at unprecedented lows. On Thursday, approximately 95,000 people passed through airport security to board flights compared to 2.6 million a year earlier.
TSA employs 50,000 officers who inspect checked bags and screen passengers at 440 airports nationwide. It is not clear how many additional people have called in sick but have not been tested.
