Number of coronavirus cases aboard deployed US Navy destroyer more than doubles over the weekend

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Number of coronavirus cases aboard deployed US Navy destroyer more than doubles over the weekend
Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Kidd alongside aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt.U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Sean Lynch
  • The US Navy said Monday that the number of coronavirus cases on the destroyer USS Kidd has climbed to at least 47 from 18 on Friday, when the outbreak was announced.
  • In the same update, the service revealed that there are currently 955 active coronavirus cases among sailors assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt.
  • The more than 1,000 coronavirus cases aboard these two deployed warships account for most of the 1,659 cases among the Navy's military personnel.
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The US Navy is currently dealing with a worsening situation aboard a deployed destroyer as it continues to deal with nearly 1,000 coronavirus cases aboard a sidelined aircraft carrier.

The Pentagon revealed the existence of a coronavirus outbreak aboard the destroyer USS Kidd on Friday. At that time, only 18 sailors assigned to the ship had tested positive, but the number more than doubled over the weekend.

The Navy announced Monday that the number of positive results has climbed to 47. Two sailors have been medically evacuated to the US, and another 15 sailors were moved to the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island for further monitoring.

So far, 45% of the crew of the destroyer, which is returning to port, has been tested.

Number of coronavirus cases aboard deployed US Navy destroyer more than doubles over the weekend
The aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt in front of Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Russell, left, and Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Bunker Hill.U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Anthony J. Rivera

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There continue to be a significant number of cases aboard the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt.

There are 955 active coronavirus cases on the USS Theodore Roosevelt — nearly one out of every five sailors assigned to the carrer. That number includes those who tested positive and continue to test positive, those who initially tested negative but have since tested positive, and those who are awaiting final testing before they can be classified as recovered.

Fourteen sailors have recovered, with the requirement for recovery being two successive negative tests.

At this point, all of the USS Theodore Roosevelt's roughly 4,800 sailors have been tested at least once.

The outbreak aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt was first announced on March 24, when there were only three cases on board. As the numbers started to spike, the ship was forced into port in Guam, where it has been sidelined for a month and where the vast majority of the sailors assigned to the ship have been taken ashore.

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The coronavirus cases aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt and the USS Kidd account for most of the cases in the Navy, which has seen 1,659 active-duty military personnel test positive for the virus.

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