The guardsman died on Saturday, but his passing was not announced until Monday by New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy at a news conference.
Murphy sent the following tweet to express his condolences:
The individual had tested positive for coronavirus and had been hospitalized since March 21.
"This is a stinging loss for our military community, and our condolences go out to his family, friends, civilian co-workers and the entire National Guard community," Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said.
A spokesman for the New Jersey National Guard, Lt. Col. Barbara Brown, confirmed that the guardsman who died was not on active duty when he contracted the disease.
There are currently 251 New Jersey National Guardsmen who have been activated to assist with the COVID-19 response.
MORE CORONAVIRUS COVID-19 COVERAGE
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are the testing centers
See how our communities are making a difference
Free educational resources for parents and children
How you can help victims of coronavirus
Where is COVID-19 now? and other resources
Coronavirus news and live updates in New York
Coronavirus news and live updates in New Jersey
Coronavirus news and live updates in Connecticut
New York City updates
Long Island updates
How coronavirus is leaving ghost towns in its path
Coronavirus prevention: how clean are your hands?
Social distancing: What is it and how does it stop the spread of coronavirus?
Coronavirus closures and cancelations
Coronavirus tips: What Americans need to know
Related Information
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on coronavirus
New Jersey Department of Health
John Hopkins' coronavirus tracking dashboard