Coronavirus cases continue to climb in military as all sailors on USS Theodore Roosevelt to be tested
WASHINGTON – Cases of coronavirus multiplied rapidly aboard the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt on Thursday, as 15 more sailors tested positive, prompting testing for all 5,000 sailors aboard, according to Navy and Defense officials.
The Navy first reported Tuesday that three sailors had tested positive and been airlifted to a hospital in the Pacific. Five more sailors were diagnosed on Wednesday. By Thursday, as the ship docked in Guam for a scheduled visit, that number had jumped to 23 sailors, according to a Defense official who was not authorized to speak publicly.
"We expect additional positive tests, and those sailors who test positive will be transported to the U.S. Naval Hospital Guam for further evaluation and treatment as necessary," Adm. Michael Gilday, chief of naval operations, said in a statement. "During the port visit, base access will be limited to the pier for Roosevelt's sailors. No base or regional personnel will access the pier."
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None of the sailors so far have been hospitalized or are seriously ill, Gilday said.
Across the military, officials scrambled Thursday to corral the virus before it rampages through the ranks and limits the Pentagon's ability to meet challenges from adversaries.
Cases of COVID-19 continued to rise on Wednesday, reaching 574 cases among troops, their families and civilian employees, the Pentagon reported. That compares with 415 on Tuesday, an increase of 38%.
Lt. Gen. R. Scott Dingle, the Army surgeon general, told reporters Thursday that he was "absolutely concerned" that coronavirus could damage the military's readiness to accomplish its missions.
By Thursday afternoon, the Army had counted 100 soldiers with coronavirus, according to Gen. James McConville, the Army chief of staff. Concerned that it could spread further, McConville on Wednesday ordered the Army's fast-reaction forces to comply with the Health Protection Condition Delta, its strictest measure. That keeps soldiers at home, limiting them to essential trips such as the grocery store and pharmacy. The concept, he said, was to create a "safety bubble" around soldiers most likely needed for combat missions.
Throughout the Army, major training exercises have been canceled and social distancing is being implemented. Doing so should limit spread of the virus and allow the Army to return to more normal operations by summer, Dingle said.
Back in Guam, the Roosevelt and its crew will be confined to the pier during their visit. Deep cleaning of the ship is underway and testing has begun for each sailor.
Gilday made clear that the Roosevelt remained capable of its missions, which in the Pacific include deterring aggression from North Korea and matching the strength of Chinese naval forces.
"We are confident that our aggressive response will keep USS Theodore Roosevelt able to respond to any crisis in the region," Gilday said.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Coronavirus: Navy to test all sailors on Roosevelt as cases grow
