The U.S. Navy said it is responding to COVID-19 outbreaks aboard two of its ships based in Bahrain.
In a statement, the U.S. 5th Fleet said about a dozen service members aboard the USS San Diego (LPD 22) tested positive for COVID-19, while the USS Philippine Sea (CG 58) has identified several persons under investigation.
“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,” the statement said.
“San Diego is currently pierside in the Kingdom of Bahrain. All positive cases have been isolated on board, and the ship remains in a restricted COVID bubble. The port visit and medical support have been coordinated with the host nation government and Bahrain Ministry of Health. The ship has a robust medical capability, including embarked medical staff, operating rooms, a 24-bed hospital ward and additional overflow capacity.”
USS Philippine Sea is currently underway and is expected to pull into an undisclosed port where additional testing will take place.
“Personnel identified as having close contact have been isolated and mitigation measures are followed in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Bahrain Ministry of Health, and Navy-specific guidelines to minimize the spread of COVID-19 and protect the health of the crews,” the U.S. 5th Fleet said.
The Navy’s 5th Fleet is headquartered in Bahrain and is responsible for naval forces in the Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Arabian Sea, and parts of the Indian Ocean.