A special report released Tuesday by the Justice Department said they believe that more people have died of 9/11-related illnesses than those killed on September 11, 2001.
The report was revealed through the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund, a fund set up in the wake of the 2001 terrorist attacks for survivors and victims' families.
According to the report, more than 19,000 people filed a claim listing cancer as one of their eligible conditions, which makes up 48% of the claims filed.
"It is also sobering to see that more people are now believed to have died of 9/11-related illnesses than were lost on September 11, 2001," the report stated.
"As I reflect on the 20 years that have passed since September 11th, 2001, we at the World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program mourn for those lost in the attacks and affirm our commitment to those living with 9/11-related health conditions," Dr. John Howard, Director, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Administrator, World Trade Center Health Program, said in the report.
The DOJ said more than 40,000 people had received nearly $9 billion from the VCF.
According to the Associated Press, nearly 3,000 people died on September 11, 2001, when terrorists of Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida terror network crashed airplanes into the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon, and a field outside Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
The report comes just four days from the 20th anniversary.
