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Covid outbreaks disrupt operations of 2 US warships

EU to debate sending naval mission to Red Sea
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Covid-Separate According to media reports, 19 outbreaks occurred on board two US Navy warships, infecting a significant number of their respective crews while disrupting their ongoing operations.

According to reports citing defence officials, more than 20 sailors, or roughly one-fourth of the ship’s 105 crew members, tested positive for the virus on one of the ships, the USS Milwaukee, which was deployed to intercept drug trafficking in the Caribbean and East Pacific.

The outbreak forced the littoral combat ship, which departed from Naval Station Mayport in Jacksonville, Florida, on December 14 for the ongoing mission, to remain in port at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, where it refuelled and resupplied on December 20.

The Navy said in a statement on Friday that the Milwaukee’s crew “is 100 per cent immunized”, that those who have contracted the virus have been isolated on board and kept away from other crew members, and that “a portion of those infected have exhibited mild symptoms”.

According to the New York Times, none of the infected needed to be hospitalised, and the hospital at the Guantanamo Bay base was offering booster shots to sailors on a voluntary basis, in response to the Milwaukee’s request.

In addition, the destroyer USS Halsey delayed its move from Pearl Harbor in Hawaii to San Diego, California, after roughly one-third of its crew received positive Covid-19 test results, according to the Associated Press (AP), citing Navy Commander Sean Robertson, spokesperson for the 3rd Fleet.

Almost all of the crew members were immunised, and none of the infected were taken to the hospital, according to Robertson, who added that booster shots were available to the crew.

Robertson also stated that all positive samples tested thus far have turned out to be Omicron variants.

On Sunday, the Halsey was finally able to depart from Hawaii.

According to the most recent Navy data, more than 98% of all active-duty sailors have been fully vaccinated.

As of December 22, a total of 5,361 active component sailors were still unvaccinated.

On December 15, the Navy issued updated guidance stating that sailors who refuse to be vaccinated would be discharged.

About the author

Brendan Taylor

Brendan Taylor was a TV news producer for 5 and a half years. He is an experienced writer. Brendan covers Breaking News at Insider Paper.







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