After three more sailors aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier tested positive for the coronavirus pandemic — bringing the total number to eight — commanders ordered the ship to Guam so the entire 5,000 person crew could be tested.
The ship, based in San Diego, will remain at the dock in Guam until the testing is complete. The crew won’t be allowed to leave the pier.
“We are already starting the process of testing 100 percent of the crew to ensure that we’ve got it contained,” acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Modly told reporters at the Pentagon.
The sailors who were flown off the ship are “currently doing fine,” with none requiring any hospitalization in Guam because their symptoms were very mild. The testing for their shipmates will involve a combination of swab and surveillance testing, officials said.
The USS Theodore Roosevelt was in the middle of a deployment to the Philippine Sea area when eight sailors tested positive. It’s last port visit was in Da Nang, Vietnam, but Pentagon officials said they hadn’t determined if that was where the first crewmember was exposed to the coronavirus.
It wasn’t immediately clear how long the aircraft carrier would remain in Guam. But Navy officials said that won’t affect their combat power.
“The ship is operationally capable to do its mission if required,” Mr. Modly said.
• Mike Glenn can be reached at mglenn@washingtontimes.com.
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