On Friday, the Navy reported more than a dozen cases of COVID-19 among members of the service aboard a warship in the Middle East, possibly with several people infected on another ship.
The military branch announced the coronavirus outbreak aboard the amphibious transport pier USS San Diego in a press release, adding that he had also identified “several people investigated” on the USS Philippine Sea guided missile cruise.
The Navy added that medical personnel are monitoring contacts to determine the origin of the outbreak on ships.
Currently, the USS San Diego is docked in Bahrain, with the Navy explaining that all “positive cases have been isolated on board and that the ship remains in a restricted COVID bubble.”
Meanwhile, the Navy said it would not disclose the location of the USS Philippine Sea “due to operational safety,” adding that it is expected to arrive in port for further testing of all those who may have been exposed and provide rapid testing capability and medical treatment centers as needed ”.
The Navy explained that people identified as close to infected service members have been isolated aboard the ship while following guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Bahrain Ministry of Health.
“The Fifth U.S. Fleet is committed to taking all possible measures to protect the health of our force,” the Navy added Friday. “While the health and well-being of our staff is a priority, we remain prepared to support the US Central Command mission and our regional and coalition partners.”
The new infections occur just over a week after the Navy reported three COVID-19 cases among sailors aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt, which last year became the center of a massive coronavirus outbreak.
Last year’s outbreak was the largest the army has seen since the start of the pandemic. More than 1,200 members of the service on board the ship tested positive for COVID-19, with the 4,800 crew members sent ashore to Guam to be quarantined for weeks.