Two U.S. Navy ships deployed to the Middle East are experiencing coronavirus outbreaks and are headed into port to isolate infected crew members, the Navy said in a statement Friday morning.
The amphibious transport ship USS San Diego has gone into port in Bahrain after 12 service members tested positive for the virus, the Navy's Fifth Fleet said.The cruiser USS Philippine Sea is still at sea but is expected to head into port after several sailors are believed to have been exposed to the virus and are considered to be "persons under investigation."MORE: Navy upholds firing of carrier captain and holds up promotion of admiral because of handling of virus outbreak on ship The port where the cruiser will dock is not being disclosed for operational reasons.Once in port, the exposed sailors will receive additional testing and access to medical care.U.S. Navy/Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jonathan P. Idle/APIn this Dec. 6, 2012, photo released by the U.S. Navy, the amphibious transport dock ship USS San Diego sails in San Diego Bay in San Diego, California."U.S. 5th Fleet took immediate actions to identify, isolate, test and treat affected Sailors and Marines aboard two ships," the Navy said in the statement.MORE: Navy delays Crozier decision, launches broader investigation into carrier COVID-19 outbreak"Medical health professionals are conducting a thorough contact investigation to determine the source of COVID-19 aboard the ships and whether any other personnel may have been exposed," it added.The sailors aboard the USS San Diego have been isolated aboard the ship, and the ship itself is "in a restricted COVID bubble."MORE: Navy study finds 1 in 5 sailors tested for coronavirus antibodies on carrier were asymptomaticThe recent exposures aboard the two ships at sea come a week after three sailors aboard the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt tested positive for the virus while it was deployed to the Pacific Ocean.A previous large-scale coronavirus outbreak aboard that ship in 2020 ultimately infected a quarter of the 5,000 sailors on board. As a result, the Navy imposed strict mitigation procedures for ship crews at sea and two-week quarantines for those preparing to deploy.
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