More than half of the coronavirus cases in the U.S. Navy are coming from a single ship — the USS Theodore Roosevelt, an aircraft carrier which has been docked in Guam for more than a week and seen its captain fired and the acting Navy secretary resigning over how the matter was handled.
Gen. John Hyten, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said 416 sailors aboard the aircraft carrier have been infected with COVID-19. As of Thursday, there are 727 total positive cases throughout the Navy, officials said.
On Thursday, a sailor aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt was taken to the intensive care unit of the U.S. Naval Hospital Guam. The sailor, who has not been identified, was in a 14-day isolation period at the time. Pentagon officials said further details would be released when they become available.
A civilian employee who works at the Naval Station Great Lakes in Illinois died Wednesday while being treated for COVID-19 symptoms. Meanwhile, a medical crew member assigned to the hospital ship USNS Mercy in Los Angeles tested positive for the coronavirus.
The crew member is isolated off-ship and Navy officials said the ability of the ship to receive patients won’t be affected.
• Mike Glenn can be reached at mglenn@washingtontimes.com.
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