ANOTHER outbreak of coronavirus on US warship reported as at least 18 sailors on USS Kidd off Central America fall ill – The Sun

A CORONAVIRUS outbreak has been reported on a second US warship with at least 18 sailors falling ill on the USS Kidd off the coast of Central America.

Navy officials believe the number of COVID-19 cases on the vessel will grow as they continue to evaluate the health of the crew.

The Kidd has been operating as part of a US counter-drug mission off the Pacific Coast of Central America.

One sailor who showed symptoms was flown off the ship on Thursday and tested positive for the virus at a medical facility in Texas.

The Navy then deployed a specialized medical team to the ship to do more testing.

“The first patient transported is already improving and will self-isolate," said Rear Admiral Don Gabrielson.

"We are taking every precaution to ensure we identify, isolate, and prevent any further spread onboard the ship

"Our medical team continues coordinating with the ship and our focus is the safety and well-being of every sailor.”

The outbreak comes after 856 sailors on the Theodore Roosevelt have tested positive for the virus.

One sailor on the Roosevelt died and about 4,200 of the 5,000 crew members were moved to the island of Guam for quarantine.

Roosevelt Captain Brett Crozier was fired after he was accused of mishandling the crisis, but some officials now say he should be reinstated.

Crozier lost his job on April 2 after sending an email to naval officers warning about the growing virus outbreak and asking for permission to isolate much of the crew on shore.

“We are not at war. Sailors do not need to die," he wrote in the memo.

"If we do not act now, we are failing to properly take care of our most trusted asset, our sailors."

Crozier was called a "hero" by sailors for sounding the alarm about the coronavirus.

The Kidd now faces a similiar crisis. The Navy said it will return to port, where the crew will continue to clean and disinfect the ship.

“The Navy has lessons learned from prior experience with a COVID crisis, and they have been quickly applying those to this case," said Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman.

“Fingers crossed, the Navy is doing everything they can right now, and we're going to hope for the best outcome, but they are going to take all of the prudent steps that they possibly can.”

There have been nearly 900,000 coronavirus cases in the US.

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